Violet's World
by savy4899
Summary: Violet Avery has been friends with Maya and Riley for as long as she can ings get a little complicated as she starts high school and meets a certain Lucas Friar. Go through life with her as she makes the world her own and learns about jealousy, love, friendship, and life.
1. Girl Meets World

"Why do we have to sneak out of the house, if we're not doing anything wrong until we sneak onto the subway?" Riley asked for the hundredth time.  
"Do you think you're ready to just walk by your parents?" I asked looking at my outfit in the mirror while Riley and Maya sat at the bay window.  
"I think I'm ready!"  
"Let me see your face as you walk by your parents," Maya said rolling her eyes.  
Riley pulled the most ridiculous face as I sat next to Maya and said, "Why you making that face at us Riley?"  
"Because, I'm sneaking on to the subway." she paused, and then decided, "Out the window."  
"Let's go," Maya and I said, starting to climb out the window.  
We were pushed back in when Riley's father, my godfather, Cory climbed into the room, "Here's what I'm thinking, it's not your world yet. It's still my world. Because if it was your world, Maya would have you and Violet on the subway already." I looked away from him as he came closer to me and Riley, "Thinking you put one over on me, but you didn't."  
"How long do we have to live in your world?" I asked getting up from the bed.  
"Until you make it yours," He put his hand on my shoulder, "Violet, do you know what I want more than anything more than anything, what your parents wanted more than anything?" I shook my head, "For you to make it your world."  
"We will" Riley said, linking her arm with mine, "When we do will you still be there for us?"  
"Right here." Topanga, my godmother, said from our bedroom door, I gave her a smile.

We left the apartment the three of us arm in arm and went down to the subway station; it was our first day of high school, ninth grade year. I looked around the subway, giggling at the look of awe on Riley's face.  
"Weasel!" Maya and I greeted our friend who plays the drums here every morning, I had been riding the subway with Maya since the sixth grade, but Riley always rode with her dad.  
"Maya, Violet, who's the new chick?" he asked gesturing to Riles.  
"Chick, down here I'm a chick," Riley said in excitement.  
"She's new to the underground world," I said ruffling her hair and laughing.

We got on the subway and we were standing by one of the poles as Riley put on lip gloss, I nudged Maya.  
"Wow Riley you don't do lip gloss," Maya said in a teasing tone.  
"Oh, What I forgot to mention is I'm completely reinventing myself," Riley said smiling at us.  
"Oh really, this ought to be good," I rolled my eyes.  
She continued," I ride the subway now I have kiwi lips now! And I'm just as cool as you and Vi now."  
Maya smirked at something behind Riley.  
I followed her glance and saw an attractive guy our age reading a book, "Show us how cool you can be Riles. Turn around"  
She glanced at him and he was already looking at us, he flashed us a smile and Riley just started giggling.  
"Yeah you're gonna need some lessons." Maya said looking to me, "Show her Vi."  
I shook my head at her, "You show her!"  
I wasn't as rebellious as Maya but I wasn't as much of a goody goody as Riley I was somewhere in the middle.  
Maya marched over there and we stood watching, "Hey, I'm Maya. You're really cute. We should hang out sometime. You make me happy. You don't pay enough attention to me. This isn't working out. It's you not me. We can still be friends not really."  
She walked away leaving the poor boy with a really confused look on his face.  
"He's available, we just broke up."  
"Are you okay? Do you need to talk about it?" Riley asked.  
"She'll live" I said still glancing at the confused boy.  
"You still wanna be like me?" Maya asked.  
"I wanna be exactly like you," Riley said determination in her voice.  
I frowned, "Riley you are you, you can't change that and honestly it isn't a bad thing."  
"Vi, I think too much, she doesn't' think at all."  
"See she gets me, let's not think together," Maya wiped a fake tear from her eyes.  
I groaned and shook my head; this wasn't going to end well.  
"I think you need to not think, Vi." Riley said smiling at me.  
"Yeah, don't think" Maya pulled Riley's hands off the pole and she went flying back, landing on the cute guy's lap. I felt a pang of jealously but quickly shook the thoughts out of my head.  
"Hi." Riley said, "We were just talking about you. You used to go out with my friend Maya."  
The boy looked up at us, and I was biting my lip to hold in my laughter.  
"At least she got words out," I muttered to Maya.  
"I'm Lucas," he held out his hand for her to shake.  
"I love it," Riley giggled.  
A lady walked up to them, "Perhaps someone would like to give up their seat to someone older?"  
Lucas was about to get up but the lady quickly denied his offer and looked at Riley.  
Riley stood up, "Please don't make me move, I want to see where this goes."  
"Maya, go get her" I said noticing the boy was still looking at me.  
"Poor Riley looks like that boys taken," Maya teased seeing he was looking at me too. I pretended like I didn't hear her and looked at Riley, who was walking over to us.  
"How ya doing?" I asked smirking at her.  
Riley came back over to us, "That was great."  
I laughed still feeling slightly jealous.  
"Okay Vi, your turn," Maya said,  
"What are you talking about?" I asked but she pushed me back and I landed on the lady next to Lucas.  
"I'm sorry," I apologized cursing Maya.  
"It's for you," she picked me up and put me onto Lucas' lap.  
"Hi" he said smiling.  
"Hi," I blushed, "I'm Violet."  
"I'm Lucas."  
"Welcome to New York" I smiled at him before getting up and walking back over to my friends.

We walked into our class, "Maya you have to do the homework, this teacher is insane!" Riley said scolding Maya for not doing her homework again.  
"Yeah like there's something seriously wrong with him" I added as I bumped into him "Hi Uncle Cory."  
"Hi daddy" Riley said smiling innocently.  
"You guys are late to my class," he said disapprovingly.  
"Don't worry Matthews, you wrote them a note," Maya handed him a piece of paper and she winked at us.  
"Riley and Violet are late, Deal with it" Cory read aloud, "You're getting better at my signature."  
"You write like a girl," I said and sat down in the front row, between Maya and Riley.  
"Let's get back to learning," he said, "the civil war"  
"The civil bore" Maya argued.  
I tuned out still thinking about the guy from the subway; damn I bet I was never going to see him again.  
"Thank you future minimart employee of the month." I laughed at Cory's attempt a  
"Would she be making more than you?" I countered high fiving Maya.  
"The civil war" he avoided the question.  
"Anyone?"  
"A war we fought against ourselves," Riley said looking up from her hands.  
"You studied it?" Cory asked confused.  
"She's living it," I clarified.  
Riley banged her head down on her desk and I poked her.  
"People, people are we here to learn or not?" Farkle asked.  
"What are you talking about Farkle?" Cory asked.  
"I've been in love with Riley since the first grade. But I'm also equally in love with Maya and Violet." We all smiled at him as he talked.  
"You don't want this," Maya said.  
"Bring it on."  
"I think he'll end up with back of the class Brenda," I said looking at the girl waving to Farkle.  
"How can you love three women the same when they are all so different?" Cory asked.  
"May I over step my bounds sir?"  
"You always do. "  
Farkle switched the name plate over to his side and began to rant, "Riley is the sun, she's warm and brightens up my whole day. Maya is the night, dark and mysterious. Violet is the twilight she's the perfect balance of the two; she has parts of the sun and of the moon. How could I love these three different women? How could I not? Thank you I am Farkle!"  
Cory and Farkle switched places again and Cory began teaching, "History shows that bad things happen when you don't know who you are." the boy from the subway walks into the class and I sat up straighter, "who are you I don't know you you are?"  
I rolled my eyes at Cory.  
"Subway boy!" Riley exclaimed and I nodded and winked at her.  
"I'm Lucas Friar, from Austin, Texas."  
"Great you're just in time for today's assignment. Have a seat."  
He sat behind me and I turned around and smiled at him, "hi again. "  
"Hi," he chuckled.  
Cory grabbed my head and faced it forward.  
Cory continued whatever he had been saying, "on anything you believe in anything at all as long as you're willing to fight for it."  
"That!" Maya got up.  
"What?" Cory asked. Oh no.  
"I'd fight for no homework"  
"Maya no" I warned.  
"Whoo" Riley joined.  
"Oh god." I stared up at the sky why did my friends have to be difficult.  
Cory shot Riley an angry look, "Not whoo." she decided.  
The class began chanting, "No homework more freedom."  
"This is your shot to be like her," I told Riley, "you don't have to take it."  
"Riley what are you doing?" Cory asked as she got up, "I know who you are. You are exactly like me!"  
"Would you do this?" She asked and started chanting and walked out the door.  
"You going too?" Cory asked me.  
I shook my head, "not really in a rebellious mood today. Besides one of the three of us has to be sane."  
"Thank god."  
Farkle started freaking out about education versus his women and he fainted into Cory's arms.  
"Wow it's only the first day of the year, he's got it bad," I said as Cory put him in a chair.  
"Having fun yet?" I asked Lucas.  
"Tons," He laughed looking up at me from his textbook, he was reading.

"Ma!" Cory and Riley both yelled as we walked into the apartment later that day.  
"Great! You guys realize it's the first day of the year." Topanga asked me as I stepped through the door.  
"I'm not getting involved" I walked into mine and Riley's shared room and sat on my bed starting my homework.

The next day at lunch we sat down with our food trays at our usual table.  
"Awe look at him, looking for a place to fit in," Maya said eating a fry as we all looked at Lucas. I could look at that boy for hours he was quite the view.  
"Do you think he'll sit with us" Riley asked and I shrugged and moved over a seat. Just as Lucas was about to sit down Farkle swooped in.  
"Ladies" he said before starting to talk about the lunch line.  
"Farkle" we all responded as we had since we were seven.  
Farkle left and there was an empty seat again.  
Maya and Riley were arguing about how to invite him to sit down.  
"Just say 'hey Lucas'" I suggested.  
"Like we are on a first name basis"  
"Hey" Maya suggested.  
"Hey" Riley tested it.  
"Hey" I agreed  
"Hey back" Lucas said sliding into the seat next to me.  
"Hi" I said smiling.  
"You're sitting here," Riley interrupted smiling widely at him.  
"Is that okay?" He looked from me to Riley and she gave him a thumbs up.  
"It's cool" I said taking a drink from my water bottle.  
Riley was tugging on my sleeve, "excuse me for just a sec," I turned to her "yes?"  
We did a little handshake thing with Maya and when I turned around Cory was there, right next to Lucas. Great.  
"How ya doing?" He asked.  
"Dad, please don't overreact." Riley begged.  
"You have two choices Cory, you could understand that this is completely innocent"  
He didn't let me finish, "I'm gonna do whatever you say next. Honey fathers see everything as not innocent, as the opposite of innocent actually."  
"Right here" Maya raised her hand.  
"He's about it embarrass us Riley be prepared." I said crossing my arms.  
"I'm not gonna embarrass you, I'm gonna teach Mr. Friar about geography. I've been a lot of places. But never to Texas, what part of Texas is closest to Mexico?"  
"El Paso sir," Lucas answered in his cute voice.  
"Great let's go there now" Cory started pulling him out of the lunch room.  
'Sorry' I mouthed and gave him a small wave.  
Maya caught my eye and raised her eyebrow. I did not need her to think I had a thing for Lucas because clearly I don't.

I sat down in my seat in history and smiled at Lucas, "I'm glad you're back." I winked.  
"Me too" he laughed.  
"Hi" Cory came up to us, "apparently you have a better sense of direction than I anticipated."  
"I'm sorry about him, he's just..." I looked for a word to describe him, "Cory"  
"Are you his daughter too?" Lucas asked.  
"No, his goddaughter but I've lived with them since before middle school." I answered as I saw Riley glancing at us. I turned around as Cory was about to start teaching.  
"Maya present your homework" Cory said.  
"Can't do that sir."  
"Why not"  
"Didn't do it."  
I tuned them out knowing this could go on for a while.  
"Is it always like this?" Lucas asked  
"No depends on the day," I answered as Maya went around collecting everyone's homework.  
Don't do it Maya I thought to myself.  
Farkle ran into the room with a hug diorama with sparklers and flags.  
Maya grabbed one of Farkle's sparklers and stood on the desk about to burn the homework.  
"Maya no stop!" I yelled, "Riley help me!"  
"Maya I get it stop!" Cory went up to her but she just lifted the sparkler.  
The sparkler set off the fire alarm and water started spewing everywhere and a loud alarm was ringing. Lucas pulled me close to him and held his jacket over us.  
"Why didn't you stop your friend?" Lucas asked me and Riley.  
"I tried" I said looking at Maya, who actually looked kind of nervous.  
"It's not what I do anymore." Riley exclaimed.  
"Your better than that Riles!" I said mad at them both, they took it too far this time; usually I was right there beside them.  
"Ms. Hart you have detention" Cory said looking at her with the most disappointment I've ever seen him have, "The principal will decide any other punishment."  
"Ms. Matthews leave."  
"I deserve detention too" Riley said  
"Wait, it wasn't all her fault," I said pulling away from Luca getting ready to defend both.  
He whispered to me as he held me under the jacket, "I don't think you can help her this time."  
"No you don't Riley, Violet its okay." Maya said, nodding at me.  
"Violet, get her out of here!"  
"No I'm like her! I want to help her!" Riley yelled over the alarms.  
"You missed that chance Riley! You were so busy trying to be her that you forgot to be you! And now she's in trouble."  
"Come on Riley, there's nothing we can do this time." I glanced back at Maya and she gave me a weak smile. I wish I could've helped her.  
"Thanks" I said to Lucas when we got outside.  
"No problem."

Maya, Riley and I were standing in front of our lockers waiting for Cory to come out of the principal's office.  
He walked out with Farkle on his back.  
"Down Farkle," Cory said.  
"You're looking at us pretty hard there" I said looking down at the floor.  
"I just want to stand by my girl!" Riley said and I shook my head.  
"You missed your chance to stand by your girl Riley," Cory said again.  
"For as long as I can remember, it's always been Maya, Riley, and Violet," Cory started, "Now I always believed a friend helps another friend out of trouble, not into it.'  
"I'm sorry," Maya said tears in her eyes.  
"I am too Maya. Because you go too far! Do you understand me?"  
"I have nobody at home, who helps me with my homework" Maya ran out of the hallway.

We were all on the subway, standing at the same pole as in the morning.  
"Riles? Vi?" Maya said.  
"Yeah?" we said together.  
"If we can't hang out with eachother as much anymore, don't worry about it." She said faking a smile.  
"Wait," Riley said.  
"Why wouldn't we hang out anymore?" I asked her.  
"He's going to make you guys end our friendship," Maya said sadly.  
"He said that?" I asked.  
"He's really upset with me."  
"He loves you Maya," I said grabbing her hand.  
"I don't think so anymore," Maya said.  
"I just wanted you to know that I get that it wouldn't be your guys' fault."  
"Maya..." Riley started.  
"No not now."  
"I haven't been a very good friend," Maya told us.  
"You're our best friend," Riley said.  
"I go too far and I don't think that's gonna stop. I'm bad for you," Maya let a tear fall from her eye.  
"Did he say that Maya?" I asked frowning.  
"He will, this is your stop." Maya gave us a little wave, "Don't be me, and don't go as far as me."  
"No." Riley said.  
"Maya stop."  
She pushed us out of the subway car.  
I walked back to the car and opened the door.  
Riley said, "I'm not you. I'm not Violet. I'm me."  
"You aren't allowed to abandon our friendship!" I said  
"I would never do that," Riley added.  
"I'm pushing you guys away because I'm not good for you anymore." Maya said frustrated.  
"Only we can decide that, you know why?" I asked.  
"Why?"  
"Because it's my world now and the first person I want in it is you," I smiled at her.  
"You're gonna save me aren't you?" Maya asked us.  
"Yeah" we said together.

At home Maya and Riley and I barged into the living room.  
"Where is he?" Riley asked.  
Topanga and Auggie immediately pointed at Cory.  
"There is no way we will let you break-up our friendship with Maya!" I said letting out a huge breath.  
"Is that what you think I want, Violet?"  
"No what you said you really want is for us to make the world our own, and you want us to do our homework, well we are doing it now." Riley said linking her arms with me and Maya.  
"Here's what I think is worth fighting for: these are my best friends, we will get in trouble and we will find our way out of it and we just did because here we are" I said looking at Cory.  
"Look at us dad, we are right here, my civil war is over, I won, what happens now?" Riley said.  
"We are all different. We have to be. Because if we were all the same we wouldn't function. We compliment each other. Our differences bring out our strengths" I said smiling at Maya and Riley.


	2. Girl Meets Boy

Maya, Riley, and I were standing by my locker talking when Lucas walked by and sat on a bench in the hall. Riley pulled out her phone and started texting him. I smiled at him when he glanced at us.  
"Talk to him!" Maya said looking from Riley to Lucas. I shifted uncomfortably trying to ignore the feeling of jealousy at the fact that Riley was always texting Lucas.  
"Why would I do that?" she said looking up from her phone to Maya, "We have a great texting relationship."  
"You know what else a great texting relationship is?" Maya asked as Riley was sending another text.  
"What?"  
"Talk to him!" Maya exclaimed.  
"Riley he's right over there!" I added encouraging her, just because I had a thing for the guy doesn't mean I'm not gonna try and support my friend.  
"No too complicated over there, lots can go wrong over there, the only thing that can go wrong over here is if I go over there." Riley rambled.  
I sighed and just pointed to Lucas, "go"  
She walked up behind him and stood there mouthing words to his back, not being able to talk to him.  
"Oh god" I said resisting the urge to face palm.  
"She has it bad, almost as bad as you have it," Maya said smirking at me.  
"I don't have it bad, he's my friend," I said before continuing, "Riley likes him"  
"Riley only likes him because he is new. Look at who he's looking at anyway." she said raising an eyebrow at me. I sighed and smiled at Lucas who was already smiling at me.  
"You're just as bad as her! Go talk to him," Maya said pushing me toward him.  
"Hi" he said catching me as I fell forward from Maya's push.  
"Hi"

I was saved by the bell. Riley walked back over to us and Lucas walked into class, "How'd I do?"  
"You smelled him," I said pursing my lips.  
"Yep" she said looking down.  
"You smelled him that's what you did," Maya said again.  
"I walk through life the way I walk through life!" Riley said as she walked into Cory's class.  
"Can we at least talk about this?" I asked.  
My phone dinged and I read the message aloud, "nope."  
"Vi, you should tell her you like him" Maya said before walking into class.  
I sighed and followed sitting in my usual seat in front of Lucas.  
"You guys don't connect with each other," Cory started lecturing as soon as the bell rang.  
He held up his cell phone, "It's like you can't exist without these. You use emoticons rather than emotions. You're an unfeeling generation of zombies!"  
Maya and I put our heads together and started mimicking zombies and pretending to eat each other.  
"Stop eating her," Cory said shaking his head. Someone from our class walked in late, "Ms. Mizel, you're late."  
"My goldfish died," she said face completely lacking any emotion.  
"See this is what I mean. She clearly suffered a tragic loss and she's not in touch with her emotions," Cory continued.  
"'Scuse me," she rolled her eyes, "I'm crying my eyes out, I'm gonna have to leave class early," she walked out of class.  
"Wow she actually made it out the door this time," Cory opened the door to call her back to class, but she was already walking back in straight to her seat.  
"Wow I actually made it out the door this time."  
"Uncle Cory, adjust and deal." I smiled at him.  
"Cell Phones have been around for like ever," Riley added.  
Cory looked at Riley, "It'll amaze you to know that there was a whole world-before you and cellphones."  
"It'll amaze you to know that I have 394 friends in here," Riley pointed to her phone screen.  
"And I'm amazed you believe that," Cory drew a line straight across the board, he followed the line with his chalk, "This is a timeline of all human existence, starting here is everyone who's ever lived, laughed, loved, and experienced the value of life," He drew another line this one very close to the end of the board, "The cellphone era begins here and pretty much destroys all of that."  
"Sir, if I may take a different position," Lucas said politely and I smiled at the sound of his voice, I had it bad, Maya was right.  
"Yeah save me Mr. Friar, did I go too far?"  
"Always," I said and Lucas laughed quietly.  
"I understand your point, but I use my phone to video chat my old friends and see what's going on in Texas."  
"Yeah how else can he keep tabs on what's going on with all the hoedowns and cattle pageants," Maya said making fun of him.  
"Maya," I warned smiling at her joke.  
"It's okay Violet, I'm unaffected by Maya's views of country life" Lucas said leaning forward toward me from his seat behind me, "As my uncle buster always says 'be like an eagle and soar above the mocking bird."  
"You're the Mocking bird" I said to Maya laughing at her facial expression.  
"I know." She said glaring at him, "It kills me that I can't get to you"  
"Sorry mam," He tipped his imaginary hat at him.  
"Ohhhhhhhh" she shuddered  
"Farkle time sir?" Farkle's hand shot up.  
"Ooh I love Farkle time!" Cory and Farkle switched places.  
Farkle stood in front of the room and began ranting, " With all due respect to history Mr. Matthews, what's important to our generation will be on this," he gestures to the latter half of the timeline, " part of the timeline. When Farkle and technology rule!"  
"Wow" I said crossing my legs.  
Farkle walked up to the desks and continued, "I will easily be able to make another one of you," he pulled out a piece of Riley's hair.  
"Ow!"  
"Another one of you," He pulled out a piece of Maya's hair.  
"Dude!"  
"And another one of you," he pulled out a piece of my hair.  
"Ow!" I said annoyed, "Wait, so there will be six of us and one of you?"  
"That's amazing," he said smiling brightly, "The future, you can't escape from it, I am Farkle!"  
"The assignment you can't escape it! I am teacher!" Cory tried to be funny, "Okay so here's what we are gonna do guys, we are gonna split into teams and see if new technology has made us better people. You'll do presentations on your findings. And here's a twist – no computers."  
"What?!" Farkle yelled frantically.  
Cory ignored him, "We're going old school. You're gonna do your research at the New York Public Library."  
"Where?" Maya asked confused.  
"And here's another twist because I trust you not at all, give me your cell phones." Cory said as the whole class collectively freaked out.  
We all handed them in begrudgingly.  
Even though I'm not sure he's allowed to do this.  
"Thank you all. Okay so teams for this assignment." Cory went around pairing everyone up until it was just the five of us left.  
"Well the class is uneven, so Riley, Maya, and Farkle together, and then Violet and Lucas," Cory thought about what he said.  
"Wait for it," I said smiling at my partner, waiting for Cory to freak out.  
"No wait no no," Cory said as the bell rung.  
"Too late Matthews looks like Lucas and Vi get to spend a lot of time together," Maya said winking at me.  
"No!" He said again.  
Lucas and Vi, I loved the sound of that.  
Everyone was leaving class, Cory grabbed Lucas, "Why did you have to come here?"  
"I'm sorry I make you uneasy sir," Lucas said as we walked out of class together.  
"Bye Cory see you at home!" I said leaving the class.  
"Dad they don't even have their phones what could possibly happen?" Riley asked her dad before she walked out.  
"Hey soaring eagle you walking with us to the library tonight?" Maya asked as Lucas walked by us after class.  
"Sure, if that's good with you guys." He said looking at me.  
"Well seeing as your Violet's partner on the assignment, let's ask her," Maya said looking at me,"Violet? Any thoughts?" Maya asked as I stayed quiet.  
"Oh yeah its cool," I said still smiling at him, god I'm an idiot.  
Riley looked at me as if she was finally putting something together in her head.  
"Riley what's wrong?" I asked curious.  
She waited until Lucas was gone to answer me, "You like Lucas!"  
"What psst no" I answered not so smoothly.  
"She got it bad." Maya said to Riley.  
"Oh yeah she got it real bad." Riley decided. "She wants to be Mrs. Cowboy," Maya and Riley were laughing at me.  
"Shut up! Let's go home," I said laughing, I was so relieved Riley knew and she was okay with it. 

Later at home we were sitting at the table, eating dinner and Auggie was telling us about his day, "I had a good day, and then my friends treated me nicely and then my teacher measured us and then I'm growing, and then Jenny Lewis loves me I think because I'm growing,"  
"It wasn't a good day," I started, "And then my friend pulled my hair out, and then my teacher took my phone away, and then my teacher came home with me," I finished pointing at Cory.  
"At Least you're growing," Auggie shrugged.  
"Honey, please don't come apart. Look at this as a beautiful opportunity to spend time with your family." Topanga told me and I nodded.  
"I'm doing better than Riley," I said as we all looked at the girl next to me who was just staring blankly at her plate.  
"Hello Riley," Auggie said.  
"How ya doing?" she asked him.  
"Want to hear about my day. It was a good day," He started again.  
"Mom." She looked at Topanga for help.  
"Forgive her Auggie, she misses her telephone."  
"Well then she can have mine," He handed Riley a toy phone.  
"The cow goes" the toy started when she pressed a button.  
"Mooooooo" Auggie finished.  
She handed the phone back to Auggie.  
"We aren't gonna make it" I said  
"That's was Cory thinks," Topanga said.  
"They can't." Cory said talking for the first time. "Guys please don't make him right. It's no good for any of us when he is right," Topanga begged.  
"She's right!" Cory said excitedly.  
The buzzer went off, "Hey losers, it's Maya."  
I buzzed her in and unlocked the door.  
"I've learned I'm actually really okay with all of this," Maya said as she walked into the apartment.  
"You don't miss your phone?" Topanga asked.  
"I was the only one in class without a smartphone anyway. And now I feel like everyone's even."  
The speaker buzzed again, "Farkle."  
"Be ready in a minute," I said weakly not ready to leave yet.  
"And Lucas."  
"Ready now" I said as I quickly ran out the door. 

We all walked into the library and looked around.  
"What is this place?" Riley asked and they all looked amazed.  
"Okay I can't be the only person who has been to a library?" I asked starting to seriously question their obsession with technology.  
"This is where the ancients stored all of their wisdom," Farkle said.  
"Well I mean he's not wrong," I decided.  
"Look at all those books," Maya said looking along all the shelves.  
"Look," Lucas pulled a book out of the shelf and blew a bunch of dust off of the cover, "Tales of Human interaction."  
"We'll take it," Maya grabbed it, "Thanks Quick draw."  
Maya, Farkle, and Riley took a seat and Maya threw the book to Farkle, "Farkle do whatever you do with that."  
"Read?' I asked sarcastically.  
"Shh!" The librarian at the desk told us.  
"Ahh" we all turned to her scared.  
"There's one of the ancients now," Farkle pointed at her and I pushed him.  
"Do you rent phones?" Riley asked hopefully.  
"Shhh!"  
"There's no one here but us why do we have to shush?" Lucas asked cutely.  
"Let me handle this Lucas she obviously likes it quiet," Farkle flipped his hair, "Hellloo, book lady."  
"Well hello and who might you be?" she asked him.  
"I might be Farkle."  
"Would you do me a favor Farkle?" the librarian asked sweetly.  
"Oh you know I will."  
"Why don't you go over there," She pointed to the other side of the library, " and shh!"  
"Well that's disappointing Farkle said walking away with Maya and Riley.  
Lucas and I stood next to each other awkwardly, "soo."  
"Yeah," he said looking down at me.  
"Uh huh," I said looking around the library awkwardly.  
Lucas and I made eye contact and just stood there looking at each other unsure what to do next.  
"You have really pretty eyes, I've never really noticed," he said and I blushed.

We sat at a table and were going through a bunch of books when I decided to start up a conversation, "Cory thinks we have no idea how to talk to each other."  
"What if he's right?' He asks thinking about it.  
"shh!" the lady tells us again.  
"But we aren't saying anything," Lucas tells her.  
"I know."  
"Then why are you shushing us?" I ask confused.  
"Because I can't take it anymore," she says, "You guys are hopeless. Come here," She calls me over.  
I walk over to her desk and stand in front of her.  
"A couple of sweet kids like you, and you sit there like a couple of lumps," she scolds me, "you're a disgrace to every single story on these shelves."  
"Okay, so what do I say to him?"  
"Look around, nothing here but books about boys and girls, and women and men, and what they say to each other, open any of them and you," I reach to grab one of the books on her desk, "No, not that one."  
I reach for another one in front of her, "Oh boy not that one," she throws it behind her, "look all these books have one thing in common."  
"What's that?"  
"You start on page one and each page you turn brings you deeper into the story. What's your name?"  
"Violet."  
"What's his name?"  
"Lucas." I said confused.

"You like a good story Violet?" She asks smiling at me, "Then start at the beginning."  
I walk back over to Lucas and sit down next to him once again, "Hi."  
"Hi," He smiles at me, looking up from the book he was reading.  
"What do you miss most about Texas?" I ask.  
"I guess the thing I miss the most would have to be the pets I used to have." He answered honestly.  
"I had a hamster once," I said.  
"I had 24 horses," he laughed  
"You win." I smile, "Tell me about them."  
"One day, after school, Sofia was foaling."  
"That means she was giving birth right?" I asked interested in the story.  
"Not too bad city girl," He nudged me with his elbow he continued his story, "and there was no one there, so I called Dr. Galendo, and he talked me through it. Anyway that was all."  
"More," I said simply loving how passionate he was when he was telling me the story.  
"Did you know that a baby horse stands in the first hour after it's born?"  
"Really? I bet it's amazing," I said smiling.  
"It was the coolest thing I've ever seen and I got to be a part of it," He looked at me, "Violet?"  
"Yeah?" I met his eyes again.  
"'I've never told this to anyone before. But I think someday I might like to be a veterinarian."  
"That's so cool," I said, happy that he told me this.  
"I delivered this beautiful palomino. I'd show you her picture but I don't have my phone," he said disappointed.  
"That's okay, just keep talking" I rested my head on my hand, ready to listen to anything and everything he had to say and we just sat there talking until it was time to go home.

Riley and I walked into the apartment and I leaned against the door smiling.  
Cory and Topanga were giving me weird looks and Riley was just smiling at me.  
"How was your night Violet?" Cory asked suspicious.  
"Thank you for sending us to the library," I said giving him a big hug.  
"Really?" he asked me confused.  
"Yeah, Lucas and I did really well on the assignment. I think that we connected," I said happily.  
"What do you mean connected? What are you talking about? How did you connect?" He asked me frantically. He turned to Riley, "How did they connect?"  
"We talked about stuff that was important to us, too important to text. Did you know that, when you listen to someone, they'll tell you stuff?"  
I said biting my lip.  
"Oh boy."  
Topanga said walking over to Cory, "Friends talk to each other but real friends listen. Maya knows how to draw and I know how to be a real friend." I finished.  
'You're a good teacher dad," Riley said.

"You taught them how to feel Cory!" Topanga said smiling at the very stressed out man.

"I did that? I didn't mean to do that? They have feelings now? How many?" Cory asked eyes wide open.

"All of them," Topanga laughed at him.

"No no put them back," he said shaking me.

"You can't do that," I said smiling.  
"You can keep my phone as long as you want," I yelled as I walked away.  
"I have a way," Cory said.

The next day in class Cory was acting weird, "Here you go—take your phone. Take it now!' He handed me my phone first.  
Then he went to Lucas, "Here's your phone. Good great. Nobody talks to nobody! No more feelings. Thank you!"  
He finally relaxed and sat at his desk.  
"Do you guys think he's okay?" I asked Riley and Maya.  
"He's fine," Maya decided.  
"Okay Guys the great technology debate. Let's boot it up so we never have to talk to anyone ever again." Cory said calling us up.  
The five of us went to the front of the room and Lucas and I stood on one side and the others stood on the other side.  
Farkle went first, "I have always believed technology would help us fulfill our potential as a species, but when Farkle does rule the world, no matter what devices we come up with, we should never forget what we can do with a pencil and paper," he pulled out Maya's folded drawing, "I've been keeping this in my pocket where I usually put my phone. I keep looking at it. I'm fine"  
"Thanks Farkle." Maya said.  
It was my turn now, "I thought my whole life was in my phone. But it turns out I don't really have any friends in there and you don't need your phone to connect with your real friends," I turned and smiled at Lucas.  
"Allow us to demonstrate." Lucas said turning to look at me.  
"Hi, I'm Violet."  
"Hi I'm Lucas."  
"Technology could go away forever and I'd be fine with just this," I decided.


	3. Girl Meets Sneak Attack

I walked out of my room into the living room when I heard Farkle and Maya on the intercom, I pressed the button to let them them into my building.

I saw Riley, my godparents, and Auggie sitting at the table already eating their breakfast, I smiled brightly at them, "Those are my friends. I love my friends. It's a sunny day, I love sunny days. I love my friends, I love my family, and I love sunny days," I walk over and hug Cory, "I even love going to school."

I sat down and started eating breakfast as Cory asked, "Okay what's going on with her?"

"I don't know," Topanga said looking me up and down, 'Don't do anything."

"I'm in a good mood, today is the first day in a long time where I just feel good!" I explained.

"This life thing? I think she's got it down," Riley said high-fiving me.

Farkle and Maya walked into the apartment and they sat at the table with us.

"Maya, Oatmeal," Topanga put a bowl in front of her.

"No thanks, Mrs. Matthews."

"Oh, I wasn't asking," Topanga said and Maya quickly began eating.

"Farkle, you too."

"Oh thank you, but my mother already made me eggs, home fries, wheat toast, marmalade and a strawberry shaped like a star." Farkle said politely.

"I'm going to Farkle's who's coming with me?" I said jokingly standing up.

"Sit down and eat," Topanga told me, not smiling at my joke.

Maya, Riley, and I were walking to Cory's classroom, "I don't know why we were so worried about this year." I said looking from Maya to Riley.

"New School, new people, we didn't think we were gonna survive," Riley reminds me.

"Not only are we surviving, we are thriving," I say still in an unusually good mood.

"You're like a plant! Going like this," Riley said doing a weird thing with her body happy that someone else was finally as happy as her.

"What were we so worried about?" I say again laughing at Riley's goofiness.

Maya stopped right outside the classroom door and pushed me back against the lockers.

"What are you doing?" I ask as she covers my eyes, "What's wrong?"

"Maya that too easy she knows it's you," Riley says confused, "I'll do you now," Riley tried to cover Maya's eyes as I got mine uncovered.

"No that's not the game." Maya said still keeping me away from the door.

"Then what is the game Maya?" I asked concerned about what she was trying to keep from me.

"The game is try to protect the thriving plant from the bulldozer in the pink sweater," Maya said finally allowing me to look inside the class. I saw my 'friend' Missy sitting on Lucas' desk and very obviously flirting with him.

"Silly Maya, bulldozers don't wear pink sweaters," Riley said looking into the classroom, "Oh."

"Wow," I said moving away from the door and leaning my back against the lockers.

"You okay?" Maya asks.

"Yeah," I slid down the lockers until I was sitting on the floor, "I have no right to not be okay, it's not like we are even anything."

"Awe look what the bulldozer did to you," Maya said as her and Riley sat on either side of me, I rested my head on her shoulder.

"There are other girls in this world," I said.

"There are," Riley agreed.

"And other girls, like Missy 'I date everyone' Bradford, are going to talk to Lucas." I continued telling myself more than them.

"They are," Maya said this time.

"I don't like that."

"I know," Riley told me holding my hand.

"I wish the world was just us three," I said getting up from the floor done with my little pity party.

"Then it is," Maya said.

We walked into class and I sat in my seat completely ignoring Lucas, "Sneak attack, December 7th, 1941." Cory said beginning class.

"A day which will live in infamy," Farkle stated the famous tagline.

"A date? They're going on a date?" I asked looking at Maya and then to Lucas and stupid Missy, "In Italy?"

"No honey, you're in history," Maya told me putting a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm history?" I said, I don't know what's wrong with me, I never get jealous, I never act like this over a boy.

"Okay put your hand up," Riley told me, as she lifted my arm up from my elbow.

"Yes, Violet?" Cory said turning his attention to me, "You have a pertinent observation on the subject of the sneak attack?' he asked, usually I was a great student.

I just sat there looking at him, Maya pulled my hand down and told me slowly, "May I be excused?"

"My eyes see my shoes," I said meaning to say what Maya just told me.

Cory looked to Maya questioningly and she just pointed toward Lucas and Missy, who were still not paying attention to anything, but each other.

"Yes Violet, you may be excused."

"Forever?" I asked hopefully.

"No you have to come back to class at some point, honey, you just have to."

I got up and walked out the door.

"It was another sunny day in paradise, before the sneak attack that changed everything." Cory continued teaching.

I walked to the other side of the classroom watching Lucas and Missy from the other door.

"Do you like the movies, it's dark at the movies," Missy said in a very flirty tone.

"Depends on the movie. Depends on who I'm going with," Lucas answered.

I came back into class and sat in my seat, still listening to their conversation, "Scary movies? I get scared at scary movies." Missy said leaning toward Lucas. I hope she falls out of her chair.

"You'll take care of me right?" she asked him, he glanced at me and nodded uncomfortably.

"People who had viewed themselves as safe, no longer had any security at all."

"Just you and me, Missy?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah, just you and me, Lucas," she sent him another stupid smile, before leaning over some more and touching his nose, "boop."

Lucas looked over at me again, but this time i couldn't control myself, "Boop? That's the best you got?"

"Violet," Maya said trying to stop me from embarrassing myself. Riley just watched me shocked this is something she would do not me.

"You don't think that I can do boop?" I continued looking at Missy, Lucas was just smiling at me, trying to hold in his laughter.

"How bad do you think this is gonna be?" Riley asked Farkle.

"I think we should have some faith in our Violet," he shrugged as they continued watching me.

"I can do boop like you've never seen, Boop." I turned so I could touch Lucas' nose and the worst possible thing happened, my finger was in Lucas' nose.

"Does anybody see this?" I asked Maya.

Missy answered smiling at me, "Everybody sees this, Violet."

I quickly moved my hand away from Lucas' face, "Do you think Lucas knows?"

"Violet, I've never seen anything like this before, i don't know what's going to happen." Maya said.

"Farkle?" I turned to him.

"Boy Violet, I don't think I could do that even if I tried," he answered too honestly.

"The bombing of Pearl Harbor was our official entrance to the war at war and nothing would ever be the same." Cory kept teaching.

"Cory! Are you seriously teaching right now?" I asked still in shock.

"Do you want me to bring you lunch?" Riley asked, as I sat in the corner of the hall. I can't believe I actually did that earlier that wasn't like me at all.

"No, food would only keep me alive."

"Come on little plant," Riley said.

"Come back into the sun," Maya said nudging me with her foot.

"No I'm gonna do something stupid again," I said looking up at her.

"Violet that's crazy" Farkle said.

"Nothing could be worse than what has already happened," Maya said laughing hysterically.

I started laughing with her as I stood up.

"Oh there you are," Missy said walking up to us, "I've been looking for you. You're not upset with me are you? Because I didn't hear that you and Lucas were together or anything."

"We're not," I said glaring at her.

"Mm, yeah, that's what I thought, so if you're not, then it's not a problem if I ask Lucas out, because he's really cute, don't you think?" Missy said, and it took all my power not to slap her fake smile right off her smug little face.

"I loathe you." I said.

"Well, Lucas doesn't. In fact, I think he's kind of into me. Shocker." she walked away her heels clicking loudly.

Riley, Maya, and I were sitting on the bay window in Riley and I's shared room, "I see this as a personal challenge issued by Missy Bradford. To win Lucas and to grow up and to do those things fast."

"What do I do?" I ask frustrated by the whole scenario, usually I'm cool and collected and right now, I'm a hot mess.

"Nothing Violet," Riley said.

"Just calm down Vi, you're freaking out, if this was any other guy, you would have already gotten Missy out of the picture, what's different?" Maya said.

"I really like him." I finally admitted.

"I know Vi, we'll figure it out," Riley hugged me.

"As for growing up fast, why?" Maya asked.

"Because everyone else is," I say frowning.

"That's not the way I see it," Riley said looking at me seriously.

"How can you see it any other way?" I ask laying down on my bed.

"Missy Bradford has decided to grow up fast," Maya clarified, "That has nothing to do with you."

"But what if Lucas takes her to a scary movie?" I laughed and started to mock her, "I get scared at scary movies, you'll take care of me, won't you?"

"Barf! Barf I say!" Riley exclaimed.

"Violet, do you want Lucas to take you to the movies?" Maya asked smiling.

"I don't know," I sighed.

"Then what do you want from him?" Maya asked.

"I don't know, I just don't want him with her." I said frowning.

'Is she jealous?" Riley asked Maya quietly.

"I can hear you, you know, I'm right here," I said rolling my eyes.

"Oh yeah she's very jealous" Maya answered.

"She's just bad news," I got up and started pacing, "Help me flirt with him."

"Not gonna do that, plus you already know how to flirt, just not with him," Maya said.

"Hello ladies," Farkle said on the fire escape.

"Farkle you were out there?" I asked as he climbed in my window.

"I'm always out there," he shrugged.

"We'll talk about that later." I said concerned.

"Farkle you're the biggest flirt in the ninth grade," Riley said.

"Why, thank you."

"Can you help Violet flirt with Lucas?" Riley asked batting her eyelashes at him.

"I would do anything for you," he said smiling at me.

"But I thought you loved her?" Maya asked.

"I love all of you. I want you happy."

The next day at Lunch we were sitting down eating our sandwiches and Riley turned to me, "Do you think he'll sit with us? or with her?"

"I try not to worry about things I have no control over," I said looking at my food. Okay maybe I lied to Riley.

"Really?" Maya asked suspiciously.

"That's all I ever do," Riley said biting into her apple.

"Hey can I sit with you guys?" Farkle came to our table.

"You better," I smiled at him.

He turned to me, "Do you think he'll sit with us or her?"

"Are you people serious?" I asked annoyed that we have to keep talking about it.

Lucas walked over and stood next to my chair.

"Hey what's up? Is there a seat with you guys?" he asked me.

"Always room for you, buddy," I said drinking my juice.

"Did I just say buddy?" I asked Maya.

"Yeah you're not helping yourself." Maya scoffed.

Missy walked over to our table, "Well, you know, I Was just thinking."

"Were you? Wow it's a miracle," I said smiling at her.

She ignored me and continued and started pulling him away from my table to different one, "That if you and I are going to the movies together, I should find out what kind of snacks you like so I could buy some for you."

"You're toast," Farkle said sadly as Missy purposely showed Lucas her leg. Who even does that.

"Yep RIP Violet," I said sighing.

"Are you saying she flirts better than you?" Maya asks Farkle.

"Oh, nobody flirts better than Farkle. I just don't think my young protege is ready for that monster." Farkle glared at Missy.

"So what are you gonna do Farkle?" Riley asks.

"I think I'll just steal her from Lucas myself," Farkle answered and I raised my eyebrow.

"You would do that for me?" I ask him.

"Well I'm certainly not doing it for me, toots. She's evil if I'm not back in two minutes, she ate me," Farkle got up from his seat.

"Hows my hair?" He asks Maya.

"It hasn't changed in six years," she shrugs.

"She doesn't stand a chance," Farkle says before walking over to Lucas and Missy.

"Hello Lady," Farkle began.

"Farkle," she responded.

"Why go to the movies with a boy, when you can go with a man," Farkle put his leg on the table in front of her and the three of us started hysterically laughing, Lucas looked at us and started laughing too.

"Wow, look at you. You're next," she winked at him.

He came back and sat at our table,"It worked, I'm next."

"Violet she's too good you can't compete with her," Riley said sadly.

"I don't want them together."

I got up and walked over to where they were sitting.

"Violet! no!" Maya and Riley said trying to stop me.

"Lucas," I said.

"Violet."

"I don't know what's going on here and I don't have any right to say this, and I'm about to embarrass myself again,but I don't think you should hang out with this girl alone," I said bracing myself for humiliation.

"Why not?" he asked smiling up at me.

"I don't really know," I started, "But I think if you actually spend time with her alone, it's gonna change things for us I mean...you know all of us."

Lucas didn't say anything he just kept smiling at me and it was making me nervous.

"Well, aren't you just a concerned friend," Missy rolled her eyes at me.

"Yeah I am."

"Well with you around, how could I ever possibly get Lucas alone?" she said in a condescending tone. She grabbed potatoes off of Lucas's plate and smashed them into her and Lucas' face and said, "food fight."

"Hey!" Lucas said clearly annoyed.

Cory came over to the table, "No food fight! Detention this afternoon, both of you."

"Oh no, both of us, alone," she smiled at me.

Maya, Riley, and I went to Cory's classroom.

"How could you do that, dad?" Riley asked as I sat on one of the tables exhausted.

"What did I do?" he asked Riley and I since Maya was waiting outside.

"You gave them detention together!" I said annoyed with him

"I was the cafeteria monitor, I saw potatoes, not where they were supposed to be."

"Lucas didn't even do anything," I defended him.

"Don't care. I'm mad with power," Cory said and I groaned.

"Then we want detention too!" Riley said.

"You do? Riley you've never had detention in your whole life," he said and pointed at me, "I know you have. What could you guys possibly do that would get you detention on such short notice?"

"I could introduce you to our special guest star," I pointed to the door and Maya came in.

"Uh-oh."

Maya jumped on Cory's back, "Nothing personal, bub."

Riley made Cory make a noise with his lips and I pulled his hair.

"Yeah that'll do it," he said sighing he turned to Maya, "Nice job."

"Pleasure doing business with you," she shook his hand

Riley, Maya, and I were all sitting in detention in the seats with our name cards that Riley made us.

"How you doing, Missy?" I asked as she walked into the classroom with Lucas.

'What are you doing here?" she asked me annoyed.

"Oh, she's a bad girl," Riley answered as Lucas raised his eyebrow at me.

'What can I say?" I said smirking at Lucas.

"Yeah, you don't wanna mess with this one," Maya added pointing at me.

She picked up Riley's place cards and asked, "What are these place cards?"

"Congratulations you aren't completely stupid. Yay," I clapped for her sarcastically and Lucas laughed.

"Yeah they are," Riley said, "I made them, you sit over there," she pointed to the back corner of the room.

Lucas took his seat behind me as Missy sat at the one next to him, "I think this seat has my name on it, actually."

"Alright guys, I like my detention to have a little bit of learning in it," Cory said getting up from his desk, "So I'd like to continue to talk about Pearl Harbor and what happened after the sneak attack."

I began taking notes and Cory continued, "The world was at war and alliances were forged in battle and were made stronger because of that."

Farkle walked into the room, "What is this place?"

"It's detention Farkle, It's not for you," Cory shook his head.

"If my friends are in it, then its for me," he took a seat behind Maya, next to Lucas.

"During this war, the United States was put to one of its greatest tests. When it met a threat to our way of life. But because we were united, we prevailed," Cory said.

"Hey Violet," Lucas called and I turned around to face him.

"Yeah?"

"Missy invited me to see a movie with her." Lucas continued.

"I think she's aware of that, Lucas no need to make her feel worse," Missy said in her annoying voice.

He ignored her, "And I was wondering, if maybe you guys would like to come along with us?"

I smiled at him, "You want us to?"

Missy scoffed, "I'm sorry, Lucas, that wasn't the invitation."

"Oh!" Lucas looked straight at me, "well then, I'm sorry, Missy, but I can't go."

"What are you talking about? Nobody's ever turned me down, in my life," Missy says shocked.

"Well see, these are my friends. And I don't like to do anything without my friends. Right Violet?" he said smiling at me.

"Yeah, right."

He turned back to Missy, "Now I certainly appreciate you wanting me to take care of you during a scary movie, and you showing me your leg and all, but I think I'd have more fun hanging out with them than just you."

"Boop," Maya said.

Missy got up and walked to the door she stooped, "Grow up."

"Nah, not if it means I have to be like you," I said as she left.

"Oh she's leaving? okay." Cory said.

"Hi," I said to Lucas.

"Hi."

"You know what the easiest thing about having friends is?" I asked him.

"What?" he asked.

"Sometimes all you have to do it trust them." I said before looking to the front of the classroom.

"When peacetime came, the United States enjoyed its greatest period of growth, prosperity, and happiness. Detention over," Cory said starting to walk out, "You coming?"

"I think we're good right here," I said smiling at my friends.


	4. Girl Meets Father

"Look at that eleventh grade woman!" Riley said as we were standing by my locker waiting for class to start, "We're going to be eleventh grade women someday." She was amazed at the way the girl was putting on makeup.

"I wear makeup," I shrugged getting my history book out of my locker and then closing it.

"This thing goes to eleventh grade?" Maya turned to me.

"To twelfth," I nodded at her as she frowned.

The older girl was putting on eyeliner and Riley watched her, "why that?"

"Brings out your eyes," I said handing her mine.

"Why would I want to take out my eyes?" she asked concerned.

"She's not taking out her eyes," Maya clarified laughing at Riley's childishness.

"And I think she is!" Riley said pointing at the girl who was now curling her eyelashes.

"It's an eyelash curler, it doesn't even hurt," the girl rolled her eyes and handed it to Riley.

Riley chucked, "I have eyelashes."

"Here we go," I said.

"Watch this," Maya told the girl.

Riley closed the curler on her eye wrong, "Ahhh."

"Anyone else would let go," I said watching Riley.

Cory walked by, "Open it."

Riley finally let go, "Thanks Daddy."

"Yeah okay," Cory shook his head and walked into his classroom.

Riley handed the girl back her eyelash curler and she walked away.

"Ladies," Farkle came up to us.

"Farkle," we all responded.

"School dance, I'm gonna put you three down for numbers one through all of them," he winked at us, "we will alternate. You and me, me and you, and you and me. When you are not dancing with me, you may not dance with anyone else. You may sit and wait until you dance with me again."

"Yeah, none of this is happening," I said smiling at him.

"Oh. Well, then may I have one dance with each of you?" He asked hopefully.

"Sure," Riley answered.

"Ha! That's all I wanted. You just got played by the Farkle." he said and quickly ran away.

Lucas came down the stairs, "Hey guys."

"Lucas!" I said raising my hand to high five him.

"Hand," Maya said and I put it down.

"Lucas!" I said again without my hand.

"Grown up voice," Riley said.  
"Lucas, hello," I said internally screaming at my dorkiness.

"Hey," He laughed at me.

"Hey, heehaw," Maya said still trying to make him mad with her constant teasing, "You going to the dance? Because you know it's not a square dance, so there's not gonna be a whole lot of do-si-doin'"

"Well, then I'm sure I'll have no idea what to do and you can make fun of me," he responded completely calm.

She pointed at him accusingly, "You're not playing this right!"

"Well, that's certainly not my intention. I'll try harder next time," He smiled at me when he saw I was laughing.

"I will break you," Maya promised.

"Well, if that's what makes you happy, then I certainly can't wait for it...mam," He tipped his imaginary hat at her and she shuddered in anger.

"You going to the school dance, Lucas?" I asked ignoring Maya's little breakdown.

"Thought I would, what about you?"

Maya started to mimic a gagging sound, "You'll both be there. He'll be the one in the cowboy hat going like this," Maya started doing a weird cowboy dance.

"Wow he's really getting to her," Riley said and I nodded.

"So, you going to class?" Lucas asked me as the bell rung.

"Thought I would, you?" I answered.

"Let's go," He said and we started walking to class side by side.

"Mom, can we talk to you?" Riley asked Topanga as she pulled me into the living room with her.

"You can ask me a question," Auggie ran up to me and hugged my legs.

"It's a girl thing, Auggie," I said ruffling his hair.

"You think I don't know about girls?" He asked me.

"Okay, Riley's at a certain age," I started.

He ran away, "I don't care."

I laughed at him and sat on the couch with Riley.  
"She's at a certain age?" Topanga asked me and I nodded.

"Mom, you had to know this was going to happen," Riley said.

"I know a lot of things are going to happen, which one is this?" Topanga asked me.

"Makeup," I said pointing to the stuff on my face.

"Oh, good."

"Can I have some?" Riley asked hopefully.

"No," Topanga shook her head.

"Why not? Violet wears makeup," Riley said upset with the answer she got.

"Well, because makeup leads to other things," Topanga said pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

"We have our first school dance on Friday night," I told her.

"And we're there." Topanga looked stressed out

"What's the difference between daytime makeup and nighttime makeup?" Riley asked.

"No difference," I shrugged laying back on the couch and texting Lucas.

"Because you're never wearing any," Topanga added.

"I wanna paint my face," Riley said excitedly.

"Wait, the dance is Friday?" Topanga asked.

"You're doing that thing with your voice." I said sitting up.

"But Friday is the last day for the Coney Island Cyclone."

"But it's our first dance!" I said looking from Topanga to Riley.

"And dad takes us to ride the roller coaster a bunch of times, right?" Riley asked her mom.

"Your father thinks of it as a tradition," Topanga explains, "Your father thinks of it as the reason he wakes up in the morning."

"Maybe he won't remember it this year?" I say.

Cory burst into the apartment, "Three days until cyclone day!"

"I think he remembers," I whispered to Riley.

"When's my birthday?" Topanga asked.

"A hundred and forty-eight days from cyclone day," Cory said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Good luck to you," Topanga told us.

"Daddy!" Auggie came running into the room.

"Auggie!" Cory picked up the small child, "Tell me stuff."

"Riley wants to wear makeup." Auggie told his father what he had heard.

"Hey, ya little spy!" Riley accused.

"Don't call him a spy. He is not a spy" Cory defended.

"I am a spy, you made me a card," he pulled out a little laminated card that said 'Auggie spy'.

"All right, he is a spy." Cory stated, "And guess what? He's working for me and he just got promoted," Cory pulled out another small card this one said 'superspy'.

"Cory?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah Violet?"

I hugged him tightly, "Coryyyy" I dragged out his name.

"Hey, super spy, tell me stuff."

"Violet and Riley want to go to the dance on-dun dun dun- cyclone night."

"Oh, wow it's the same night?" Cory played it cool, "I understand, I understand completely. I'm sorry you'll have to miss the dance."

"Try again, Topanga said.

Cory cleared his throat, "I'm sorry you'll have to miss the dance," he looked to Topanga, "Nope, same thing."

"But it's our first high school dance, Cory" I pleaded sitting next to him on the couch.

"Oh!" Cory grabbed his chest with one hand.  
"Oh boy" Topanga said watching her husband.

"No, no, I'm down with this," Cory insisted.

"Dad, when it comes to this stuff, I don't think, there's anything you can teach us," Riley said and I nodded agreeing with her.

Cory groaned loudly and grabbed his chest with both arms this time.

"We're growing up, Cory" I said as I got off of the couch

"Goodbye!" Cory fell back on the couch.

"You're breaking him!" Auggie yelled at me.

"You were a great father to me when we were kids. Don't take this the wrong way, Dad, but there's just some things that mom can naturally teach me." Riley kept going.

"Like, what do you know about makeup?" She rolled her eyes.  
"I know it's what you're gonna have to do with me." Cory said sadly looking at both of us.

"Mom?" Riley asked.  
"That went better than I thought." Topanga said patting Riley's back.

We walked into class in a line behind out friends the next day.

"Friar, Farkle, Hart," Cory greeted them as they came into class, when me and Riley came in he said, "You two."

"Cory, I didn't-" I started.

Cory cut me off, "Nope."

"Okay," I said as we took our seats.

"Well, guys, I've got your test results on Darwin to give back to you. And, uh, I'm pleased to see some of you have evolved since the last quiz."

No one laughed at Cory's joke so Farkle fake laughed loudly.

"Thanks, Farkle."

"Well, you were drowning, sir" Farkle said nonchalantly.

Cory was passing out papers and stopped in front of Maya, "Ms. Hart."

Maya just stared at her paper.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Mr. Friar, nice work," I heard Cory from behind me.

"Maya?" I asked again

"Mr. Farkle."

"'A' number seven hundred. Hazzah!" Farkle blew a noise maker loudly.

"You," Cory handed me my paper.

"Maya seriously, what's wrong?" I asked for the third time.

"He gave me an 'f'." she said showing me her paper.

I looked at Riley who said, "That's nuts, you're a solid 'D' student!"

"Mr. Friar, I took particular note of your position that evolution does not preclude the existence of, how did you put it?"

"A guiding hand that has your best interest at heart," Lucas answered politely.

Maya raised her hand, "Yes, Ms. Hart?"

"You failed me," she said in disbelief.

"Why don't we talk about this after class," Cory suggested.

"What's there to talk about, you failed me," she said again holding back her tears, "You think I'm a failure. There's nothing more for you to teach me."

"Oh, come on! All three of you are gonna say that to me?" Cory looked at us all.

Maya started to walk out of the class.

"You mean I lost all three of you?" Cory asked, "Maya! You do not walk out of here."

She ignored him and kept going. Riley and I raised our hands.

"Go," he nodded to the door and we both quickly left the room.

Maya was moving stuff from her locker to her backpack, "Redecorating?" I asked.

"Nope, cleaning it out."

"Maya it's just one 'f'" Riley said as Maya handed us to freshly made cotton candy sticks from the machine she kept in her locker.

"It's not about the paper, guys, your dad failed me." Maya said and I felt a little awkward when she called him my dad.

"Yeah we know. And we aren't going on the cyclone, we failed him too." Riley said sadly.

"Can't we just call it even?" I asked hopefully.

"No. We can call it I'm leaving," Maya said picking up all her stuff.

"Maya, I know you. You'll make a big deal out of this, pretend to leave school forever, and you'll be back by gym class," I said giving her a small smile.

"No, this time I mean it," she said seriously.

"All right Maya, I'll see you tomorrow!" Riley said.

"No you won't."

"You'll pick us up at 7," I said.

"I won't be there, Violet," She said and then left up the stairs.

"Maya, you proved your point, you didn't come to school and now your teacher is mad at you," I said frowning at her as we were sitting in my room.

"He's not my teacher anymore, I now attend a prestigious online academy," she told me.

She pressed a button and the computer started playing a shady voice asking for four hundred dollars.

"You paid for this?" I asked in disbelief.

"Free trial," she said, 'Well I took the test to see if I qualify for the free trial."

"Maya! It's a scam they take anybody!" Riley exclaimed.

The computer started talking again but this time it told Maya she failed the test.

"Maya you didn't even answer the name question right." Riley said reading over the wrong answers.

"At least she's smart enough to not give them her name." I shrugged.  
'It's not that I'm smart enough," Maya said shaking her head,

"Then what is it?" I asked.

"Maybe sometimes, I'm not so proud of who I am." Maya said looking at her lap.

Topanga opened the door, "How's it going in here?"

"Topanga, tell Maya to come back to school- regular school," I said looking at Maya.

"So you guys don't like this?" Topanga asked Riley and I.  
"Of course not! Maya always comes to school with us," Riley said.

"She always picks us up at 7, we look forward to it," I said.

"Like a tradition?" Topanga asked.

"Yeah, oh..."

"You know even though you're a mother that was creepy good," Riley said.

"So Maya doesn't show up like she's supposed to and how does that make you feel?" Topanga asks us.

"Oh," I said feeling bad about what we said to Cory.

"You guys have to go to him, he feels bad. Violet, Riley you have to go to your father," Topanga said looking at me when she said the word father.

"I feel bad, is he gonna come to me?" Maya asked Topanga.

"No. He's your teacher. He doesn't have to," Riley said.

"But he will," Topanga said.

"What?" Maya asked confused.

"He doesn't have to, but he will," She smiled at Maya.

"Why?" I asked.  
"Because he's always there." Topanga said.

Cory comes into the room and pulls out Maya, Riley, and I.

We all sit down at the kitchen table and Cory pulls out Maya's test, "Read it."

"Mr. Matthews, I don't want to do this." Maya said getting up.

"Sit down." I told her

"You can't tell me-" Maya started to argue.

"I just did," I said and she sat down again.

I scooted my chair closer to her, "Go ahead."

"Darwin animal studies were thought to be when the travels he took on the boat with the beetles." Maya read aloud.  
"Are you kidding me?" I asked.

"Does she have to be here?" Maya asked pointing at me.

"What were you trying to do?' Cory asked her.

"I tried to write it like I was smart." Maya explained.

"You are smart," Riley told her.  
'What did you mean to say?" Cory pressed her.

"Darwin studied animals." Maya shrugged.

"What kind?"

"I don't know."

"She does know," I said.  
'I don't know" Maya said again, "You think I don't know what I don't know?"

"I think you more than you don't know, but you don't know," I said.

"You know what?" She said

"What did Darwin study?" I asked, 'Think about Maya."

"Birds."

"Really? I got that one wrong." Riley said.

"You want to be smart Maya?" Cory asked, "Say what you mean. I understood that perfectly, and you're correct."

"That's all I had to say?" Maya asked shocked.

"What was the name of his boat?"

"The Beatles," Maya said.

"The Beagle," Cory said, "It's a tiny difference, but an important one. Because if you know it Maya, you won't fail."

"I want to not fail," She decided.  
"What kind of birds did he study?" Cory asked.

"I don't know," Maya said and I rolled my eyes.

"You do," I said.  
"Finches."

"And what else?" I asked.

"Finches and mockingbirds." Maya answered.

"Yes," I said.

"How did you know she knew?" he asked me.

"I know she listens to you." I told him, "We all do."

"Then you won't fail, and neither will I." Cory said.

"How about some turkey sandwiches?" Topanga asked.

"Darwin didn't study turkeys he studied finches and mockingbirds and his boat was the beagle." Maya said.

"And for extra credit?" Cory asked.  
'The islands he studied were the Galapagos." she said smiling.

"Because she listens to me." Cory told Topanga.

"Hey Maya, watch this" Cory turned the F on her paper into an A.

"You're giving me an A?" She asked.

"No, I'm giving you a C+, but I wanted you to see how easily and F can become an A," Cory said.

"Nothing to be ashamed of anymore Maya," Riley said.

"My dad doesn't live with-" Maya started.

"It's okay," I said, I know how it feels more than anyone at this table.

"He's got this new family," She said and Cory and Topanga's eyes shifted to me.

"Maya, you don't have to" Topanga told her.  
"I do have to." She decided, "I have to be able to talk to you. If you give me an F, if you decide I'm not worth working on"

"Maya take a look around you. We're all here for you. Does this look like we thing you're not worth working on?"

"I just don't want to fail Mr. Matthews."

"Maya, do you know why I live with them?" I asked her shifting my body so I'm facing her.

She shook her head no.

"My mom and dad got divorced when I was in first grade, my mom decided she didn't want to be a mom, that she only cared about her job. She works all the time and she travels constantly and the only time I even get news about her is on my birthday when she sends a card. My dad found a new woman got married, and they have kids, who I've never seen" I let a tear slip out of my eye; "Topanga and Cory have been my parents for as long as I can remember. But I know how you feel Maya." I hugged her tightly.

"I love you guys so much, thank you for everything you've done for me," I hugged Cory and Topanga.

"Violet, we are your parents, it doesn't matter if you aren't biological ours, we love you just as much as we love Riley or Auggie," Topanga said hugging me.

"Thanks mom," I said smiling into the hug.

"I don't want to go to the dance." I decided, "the dance doesn't matter to me at all."

"I want to go on the cyclone with you more than anything in the world!" Riley joined in.

"You're going to the dance." Cory told us.

"Hooray," Riley said breathily.

"I'm going to chaperone," Cory said.

"What?" I put my hand up.

"Hand." Maya said.

I put my hand down, "What?"

"Grown up voice." Riley reminded me.

"Lucas, hello," I said on accident.

"What's that mean?" Cory asked Maya.

At the dance a slow song was playing and I was dancing with Lucas, he had his hands on my waist and I had mine around his neck. Farkle was making Maya do the tango.

"You're a really good dancer Lucas," I told him as we swayed side to side.

"Thanks so are you."

Farkle dipped Maya right next to us.

"That hat is just for me isn't it?" Maya asked Lucas, annoyed she still couldn't get to him, He nodded, "You actually put though into our little game, don't you?"

"I actually do" Lucas said as he pulled a flower out of his hat and put it in her mouth. Farkle immediately put it in his and started to tango again.

I laughed at Lucas and Maya's little game.

'This is for you," Lucas handed me a red rose.  
I smiled at him, "Thank you. It's so pretty."

"Just like you Violet." He said as we continued to dance and I blushed.

Cory went up to the stage and grabbed the mike, "Well guys, it looks like the night is winding down. We hope you all enjoyed the dance. But before we go, I noticed that some of the fathers have arrived to pick up their daughters. I wonder if we might have one last dance. A father daughter dance."

As the music stopped playing, Cory walked off the stage to me and Maya, "May I please have this dance?"

He danced with both Maya and I for a while and then Riley came and danced with us too. His three daughters.


	5. Girl Meets the Truth

Today was the day of the school play, I was Juliet and Lucas was Romeo. Lucas said his lines as I lay 'dead' on the table, "Eyes, look your last. Arms, take your last embrace. And, lips, oh, you the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss."

This was it he's gonna kiss me here we go. I felt his breath on my face when Farkle barged into the scene pointing a spear at Lucas, "Back off!"

"You got to be kidding me," I said quietly.

"What meanest thou...spear carrier?" Lucas tried to remain in character sounding very annoyed, but he continued, "Who havest no lines."

"You tried to kiss my women," Farkle pointed at Lucas. "This I cannot allow. Prepare to die!"

"I'm not your women."

Lucas was finally done, "Farkle, What are you doing? Its 'Romeo and Juliet'."

"Well, now It's Romeo and Juliet and Farkle, I play Farkle" Farkle said as I internally battled with myself about whether to yell at him now or later.

"Dude, I'm supposed to kiss Violet, I mean Juliet, Shakespeare said." Lucas argued with Farkle.

"Who thinks the spear carrier should finally get to kiss Juliet?" Farkle asked the audience.

The audience cheered.

"Not happening," I said still lying down.

I heard Maya yelling loudly, "Yeah, you kiss that girl, you crazy spear carrier."

"Hart, Matthews, you cometh uppeth here and getteth kissed too."

The crowd cheered again and Maya and Riley walked up to the stage begrudgingly and lay next to me on the fake stone thingy.

"How you doing?" Maya asked me.

"I just don't understand how we always end up in situations like this." I said still annoyed that Lucas didn't get to kiss me.

Long story short we didn't kiss Farkle and the play ended. After, Maya, Riley, and I were walking through the cheering crowd with Lucas behind us. But when Farkle came through there was complete silence, but Riley started to clap and everyone followed suit.

"Thank you Farkle nation!" he yelled and I rolled my eyes.

"Farkle come here," I said still kind of mad.

"Violet, don't, he thinks he was good," Riley held me back.

"Yeah and we're gonna fix that," Maya told her.

"But you guys can't tell him the truth. You'll crush him" Riley reasoned.

"Oh, I can tell him the truth, it's you who can't tell him the truth because you're afraid." Maya told her.

"I'm not afraid, I'm nice."

"You're saying we aren't nice?" I asked pointing between me and her.

"No I'm afraid to say that." Riley looked down to the floor.

"Come on Riley, tell him the truth. You know Farkle, you know what will happen if you don't." I shrugged.

We walked over to Farkle who was signing an autograph for a random girl.

"Farkle!" Riley exclaimed, "You were so-what are the best words?"

"He killed the play, those are the words." Maya said crossing her arms and I began to feel bad for Farkle

"Tell him Violet," Maya nudged me.

"What? What does she mean?" Farkle asked looking at Riley and me.

"She means you killed it Farkle as in you did amazing, Show biz talk," I said with fake excitement.

"I actually thought I ruined the play." Farkle said, "If you would have told me I ruined the play, I would've believed you. I would've been crushed, but I would've believed you."

"How could we crush one of the best actors working in middle school today?" Riley said making the whole situation worse.

Farkle started rambling again, "I'm a good actor, what if I'm better than good, and what if I'm great? What if I'm the greatest actor who ever lived and I never knew it? That would be sad. Wah." He did a terrible fake cry, "It's okay, It's okay I was acting Thanks Vi, thanks Riley, my public awaits."

Maya just looked at him as if he were crazy.

"We can't lie Riley; we are going to break him." I decided sitting on the ledge of the stairs.

"Oh we will not, we didn't do anything. This will all go away." Riley denied.

Farkle came dancing through the halls to some jazz music with a top hat and tap shoes.

"And I think... you guys broke him," Maya said patting my shoulder with her hand.

We were all sitting in Cory's class and while he wrote something on the board, I was talking to Maya, "Nice locket."

"You likey?" she asked moving closer so I could see it better.

I looked to the board and saw the word 'truth'. Cory began to teach, "If history is about discovering the truth of what happened in the past, we should spend some time finding out what truth is."

"Where'd you get the nice locket?" I asked suspiciously.

"Shh, I come here to learn, Violet, you should try it." Maya faced the board.

We both broke out into laughter.

Cory ignored us and continued, "All through history people have suffered consequences for telling the truth."

"Is that real gold?' I asked.  
"Don't know. Doesn't matter," Maya shrugged.

"They all suffered dearly for telling the truth."

"So sometimes it's better not to?" I asked Cory, dropping the necklace thing for now.

"But aren't there consequences for that too, sir?" Lucas asked from behind me. I turned and smiled at him.

"Yes, there are Mr. Friar," Cory continued walking up our row, turning my head as he walked by, "But in my experience with the universe, no matter what you do the truth always finds a way of coming out."

The bell rang and everyone ran out of class except for Riley, Maya, and I.

"So where did you get the locket?" Riley asked.

"France."  
"You were in France?" I asked rolling my eyes

."Si, senor." Maya smiled at me.

"See I think you didn't go to France," I said getting my stuff together.

"Yeah if you went to France you would've brought me back a croissant." Riley added.

"Bing." Maya pulled out a croissant and handed it to Riley.

"Ooh."

"Wait a minute," I said stopping Mya from walking out of the class, "Where did you really get that?" I asked pointing to the croissant.

"I found it on the street." Maya smirked and walked out.

"Eww!" Riley spit it out.

"Come on Maya, where did you get the locket?" I asked.

"My father sent it to me."

"He did?" I asked doubtfully.

"You don't believe me?" she asked.

"Did you just tell us?" Riley asked.

"I just told you." Maya clarified.

"Then we believe you," I lied.

"So this is over?" She asked me.

"Like it never happened." I nodded.

"I however have a question for the locket," Riley interjected, "Where'd you get the Maya?"

"You don't believe my father sent this to me?" Maya asked rolling her eyes.

"Why don't you just tell us?" I asked frustrated.

"Why don't you just call me a liar?"

"Why don't you just tell us the truth?" Riley asked.

"Oh you think that's important?' Maya asked us.

"I do." Riley said as I nodded.

"Did you think Farkle was good in the play?" Maya asked as Farkle walked behind Riley.

Riley saw Farkle and avoided the question.

After school, at home I was reading in the dining room and Riley stormed in, to talk to Cory.

"I want to skip ahead in your truth lesson," she declared sitting next to us at the table," is it okay to tell a little white lie to spare someone's feelings?"

"No," Cory said quickly then asked, "my feelings?"

"No." I answered for her.

"Then always truth. You too Violet." I gave him a thumbs up.

Topanga put a weird looking thing on the table.

"Well what do we have here?" Cory asked inspecting it.

"Chicken." Topanga answered happily.

"I'll tell you right now Topanga this was never a chicken." Cory shook his head.

"Why don't you just eat it hunny? I'm looking forward to hear what you think after," Topanga said.

"Oh great teller of the truth, Please demonstrate how you are going to get out of this one," I said sarcastically throwing my book aside.

"What'd you get?" Cory asked Auggie.

"S'ghetti and meatballs."

"Ooh yum," Cory turned to Topanga and pointed, "yum that. Why this me? Why yum him?"

Topanga just pushed the chicken toward him.

"Alright. Fine. I'll eat it." Cory said defeated. "Here we go" he went to reach for the chicken and stopped and grabbed my hand, "have we prayed? Have we prayed as a family? We haven't done that in a while."

"Go ahead, pray." Topanga said rolling her eyes.

"Oh I'll pray. The world is a beautiful place. Full of many beautiful things. Look at what she did to your chicken," he said to god. If looks could kill he'd be deader than the chicken.

"Eat your dinner, hunny." Topanga said annoyed with him.

"Okay," he looked up to the sky, "I'll see you soon"

He took a bite, "well what do you think?" I asked.

"Well, um you know from eating this chicken, I'll tell you right now how this chicken died. It ate this chicken." Cory laughed but immediately stopped when he saw the look Topanga was giving him.

"You know daddy sometimes when I don't want to eat something, mommy feeds it to me like it was an airplane and I like that," Auggie suggested.

"That's very sweet Auggie but daddy's a little too old for mommy to feed him." Cory chuckled

Topanga picked up the whole chicken and started moving it to Cory's face making airplane noises and Cory ran away.

After dinner Riley and I sat in our room reading magazines when Maya came in through the window, "There's a serious pigeon following me."

"Where'd you get the locket?" I asked again.

"He's a very sneaky pigeon but I'm onto him" Maya tried to avoid the question

"Because it's gold, it's expensive, and my curiosity gets the better of me," Riley continued.

"So I ducked behind the tree to trick the pigeon and you know you came out. The squirrel. I didn't say hello though because I was already in my thing with the pigeon"

"Maya we need to know if you're stealing things," I said finally saying the thing we were both really curious about.

"You don't think my dad sends me things?" Maya asked raising her eyebrows.

"Maya, you've cried to me because you dad doesn't send you stuff," I sat next to her on my bed.

She sighed, "Sometimes I walk around the village and I pass stores and I look in Windows at things I know I'll never have. So one day I see this sitting in a lost and found basket. Do you think its right that somebody loses something so beautiful and never comes back for it?"

"Who knows? I don't have a criminal mind. I don't think like you people." Riley said to us.

"I walked by the window for months, nobody claimed it. It sat there like a kid who has no...Like an orphan," she looked at me, "so I claimed it it's mine now."

"It's not" Riley said arguing, "You took something that doesn't belong to you."

"How come you don't tell Farkle the truth, but you have no trouble telling me or Violet?" Maya asked Riley, and then turned to me, "and you have no problem telling Riley or me the truth."

"Cory tells Topanga the truth even when he knows she's gonna shove a chicken in his face. Why can't we tell Farkle?" I asked Riley.

"Sorry I missed that," Maya laughed.

"Yeah we were thinking of you," Riley said.

"Thanks."

"Cause we love you." I said.

"I love you too" Maya said bumping her shoulder with mine.

"Then why do you wanna end up in the slammer?" Riley exclaimed.

"Here we go," I said laying back.

"You won't do well in the slammer," Riley said.

"I will so." Maya defended.

"You won't pack right. You'll forget to bring shower shoes and then you'll take someone else's from the lost and found and I think you are gonna get toe fungus and I think you deserve to get toe fungus because they're not yours. They're not!" Riley word vomited.

"You done?" I asked Riley.

"That's adorable," Maya said.

"I'm scared that you're a thief," I admitted to Maya.

"That's not." Maya moved away from me.

"You think I'm afraid to tell people the truth?" Riley asked, "I'm not! And I now await your praise."

Maya just climbed out the window.

"Maya?" I called, but she didn't respond.

The next day at school Maya and Riley were arguing.

I saw Cory listening to them from behind.

Maya came closer to me.

"What was that about?" I asked referring to their argument that I tuned out.

"Farkle just quit his clubs and called his friends losers because you and Riley said he was a brilliant actor," Maya said.

"And Maya still has a necklace that doesn't belong to her," Riley chimed in.

"Great so nothing has been solved." I said nodding and walking into Cory's class.

Later that night, I was doing homework when there was a knock on my window, it was Cory. I got up and opened the window.

"Told more truths did ya?" I asked chuckling at the fact that Topanga must have locked him out.

"Well the thing I probably should've mentioned it I've never understood the universe at all." Cory told me.

"The universe is upside down," I said sighing, "Riley and I told Farkle a lie and he loves us. We told Maya the truth and she went out the window."

"Upside down you hear me?" Riley exclaimed.

"Hey," Maya said coming into the room.

"Well now she's back. Maybe the world isn't as upside down as you think," Cory put his hand on my shoulder, "that's a nice locket Maya."

"Thanks Matthews."

"It kinda looks like someone else's expensive gold locket." I said looking at Maya.

"Maybe it is. But you know I don't think that matters to Maya at all. "Cory told me.

"You don't?" Riley asked confused.

"You know it's an interesting thing about lockets. It's usually what's inside that matters the most to people." Cory looked at Maya, "isn't that right?"

Cory got up and opened the door and Topanga was standing there.

"Yeah okay." Cory said and went back outside through the window, but he stopped and said, "Please don't tell anyone this is how I live in my own house."

"What's inside the locket Maya? Why is it so important?" I asked.

She opened it and there was a picture of a family inside.

"Who is this family?" Riley asked.

"I don't know. A father a mother and a little girl. I just like that they are all together I'm keeping it." Maya said closing it.

Cory came back inside, "she's at the front door too."

"Dad can you help me. I need to know why Maya should keep the locket and I should tell Farkle the truth." Riley said, "Is it me that's upside down?"

"You know what girls the universe is the most confusing place you'll ever live. But if you listen carefully you'll find that it's paying attention. And it cares about you." Cory explained.

"And that's the truth?" I asked.

"The only one I'm still sure of." Cory said signing.

Auggie walked into my room with a plate of Spaghetti.

"Hey Auggie, is that for me buddy?" Cory asked kneeling to his height.

"Yeah I made it for you," Auggie nodded.

"Oh Auggie thank you so much." Cory took a bite out of the Spaghetti, "its cold spaghetti."

"I know its better warmer but I don't know how to do that," Auggie shrugged.

"Auggie I appreciate that you did anything for me at all," Cory hugged his son.

"You said that very nice. Why didn't you say it that way to mom?" Auggie asked.

"What? But all I did was tell mom the truth," Cory defended.

"Then why did you get cold s'ghetti?"

"Whoa," the four of us said in sync.

"Auggie are you saying the truth doesn't matter as much as how you treat people?" I asked.

"Auggie are you saying that the truth does matter, but you have to tell it to people warmly?" Riley asked.

"Auggie are you saying that the universe pays attention to me?" Maya finally asked.

"Do you people realize I'm only this many," he held up five fingers and I high fived him.

The next day I walked into the auditorium with Maya and Riley and we found Farkle lying on the stone bed thing. We had decided to tell him the truth.

"Farkle, we need to talk to you." Riley started.

"We've been looking all over for you," I said to him.

"Farkle?" Maya asked when he didn't respond and she poked him with his spear.

"Farkle's gone. He gave up the chess club; he gave up the chemistry club."

"What happened?" Riley asked.

"You two happened. You told me I was good." Farkle said sadly. "Well I just auditioned for the next play," he went on.

"Are you gonna be in the next play?" I asked.

"I'm not even allowed to watch the next play," he said.

"I'm sorry you stink," I told him.

"I'm sorry we could never hurt you," Riley said.

"I'm sorry you stink," Maya said this time.

"I heard Violet the first time!" He exclaimed.

"Well it was very important." Maya said.

"You made me think that I was a great actor, you filled me up with confidence that I was really special. You made me think I could go after something that was totally unrealistic." Farkle said looking at me and Riley.

"Farkle..." I said.

"Thank you." Farkle said and then went up to me and kissed my chin and then ran off.

"Well that happened," Riley said laughing.

"Can we talk about this because that was your first kiss?" Maya threw in.

"No" I said.

"Oh my god," Riley said still laughing.

"He missed." I said

"Still counts." Maya said," now for the rest of your life when people ask who your first kiss was you're gonna have to say-"

"Eyes look your last." Lucas walked onto the stage.

"Yay." I said quietly and got onto the stone thing and lied down.

"Arms, take your last embrace," he kneeled next to me ". And, lips, oh, you the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss."

I turned to him and opened my eyes, "hi"

"Hi." He smiled his beautiful smile at me

"How long have you been here?" I asked embarrassed.

"Yeah I saw the whole thing," he chuckled and moved some hair out of my face, "I just can't believe that little guy stole my moment...again."

"You thought that was your moment?" I asked smiling.

"No, not that one." He said.

"Oh" I said disappointed.

"My moment will be my moment." He kissed my cheek and then walked away.

"How you doing?" Riley asked as her and Maya lay next to me.

"I like that we end up in situations like this." I said smiling.

Maya decided she wanted to make things right too so we were taking the subway to the store where she found it.

"You're doing the right thing, returning the necklace to the store," I said to Maya as we walked into the subway station.

"I guess so." She said sadly.

"Maya I know how much you want a locket with a family inside it," Riley acknowledged.

"You want the truth?" Maya asked us.

"Yes please," I smiled at her.

"My father hasn't sent me anything in a long time, and the universe is probably much too busy to notice whether I'm doing the right thing or not." She said.

I turned her around to face the family whose picture was inside of the locket. She opened to locket to make sure it was them and then we started walking over to them.

"Hi I think this," she gestured to the necklace, "belongs to you."

"Oh my gosh, I've been looking everywhere for that. Thank you so much." the mother said to Maya.

Maya knelt down in front of the little girl and put the necklace on her, "never lose this."

We walked away from the family and I stopped Maya. I pulled out the small gold locket Riley and I had gotten her.

"Maya we know it isn't as pretty or as expensive as the other one but we hope you like it," I told her as I handed it to her.

She opened it and saw the picture of the three of us, "It's better than that one, it has my family. Thank you."


	6. Girl Meets Mothers

I was sitting next to Lucas in art class at the table, next to Maya and Riley getting ready to draw a bowl of fruit when Farkle came into the room wearing a robe.

"Why draw fruit? Let's draw a real work of art." Farkle winked, handing the fruit to the teacher, "That's right, check out 48 pounds of nasty."

He untied his robe and instantly Maya and Riley covered their eyes and Lucas covered mine as we all said, "No!"

He threw off his robe and the teacher chucked, "Well! Looky here the male...physique."

Lucas uncovered my eyes and I saw that Farkle was in red shorts and a tank top.

"Why thank you, art lady," Farkle winked at her.

"Why aren't we drawing Lucas?" I asked the teacher smiling in his direction.

The teacher came over to our desk and looked at Lucas, "Because nobody looks like that," she walked over to Farkle and put her hand on his shoulder, "Get used to this. Get used to this right now."

"I don't think Violet has to get used to that," Maya said smirking at me making me blush and Lucas chuckle.

"Anyway, when drawing a... Farkle, start with the eyes." The teacher ignored Maya's remark. It was weird being in a class where we didn't have Cory constantly teaching us life lessons. I would never admit it to anyone but history is by far my favorite class.

"I think the eyes should go straight to the gun show," Farkle tried to flex.

I glanced over at Maya's drawing, "Maya you're supposed to concentrate on the eyes," I said messing with her.

"See you know what my problem is? I don't listen." She shrugged at me and glanced at my drawing, "By the way you're drawing Lucas."

"Oh," I said nervously glancing at Lucas who smiled at my picture of him, "that's the first time, I've ever done that."

Maya flipped through my sketchbook looking at all of my drawing of Lucas, "Okay that's enough," I shut it quickly.

"Does she need help?" Riley asked. Both Maya and I nodded.

"All right, I know they are works in progress, but let's see where we are," The teacher started to walk around the room glancing at the art in front of everybody.

"Maybe we will become famous artists, we'll go to Paris, and drink coffee at an outdoor cafe in France," Riley sat on her desk pretending to drink a cup of coffee.

I drew a really quick sketch of her on a table in Paris, in front of the Eiffel Tower, saying she was in France.

"Fine," she let out a sigh, "Make fun of me, I am a serious artist who belongs in Paris. Bonjour Lucas."

"Bonjour Riley," he said to her politely and then added, "Bonjour Violet. Peut-être un jour, vous et je vais aller à Paris ensemble.(Maybe someday you and I will go to Paris together)." He said to me.

I sighed, "Je serais ravi d'aller à Paris avec vous (I would love to go to Paris with you.)"

"Oh my god," the teacher came over behind our desk.

"See I am an artist, I am finally something!" Riley exclaimed.

"Violet!"

"What a life, I'm having." Riley said annoyed.

"Violet, my goodness, this is brilliant!" she picked up my drawing for everyone to see

"Farkle is in a bird's nest," Maya observed.

"It's a work of surrealism, Maya, it's how this artist's mind views the subject." the teacher explained.

"I'm a bird to you?" Farkle asked raising his eyebrows.

"No...You just need to be protected," I said embarrassed by the revelation of my drawing.

"You love me!"

"Leave me alone," I warned.

"Violet I would love to have one of your pieces in the upcoming art show."

"What about my piece?" Riley chuckled asking the teacher.

The teacher glanced at it and then looked at Riley, "That's a cute top."

"No thanks, Ms Kossal. I don't like people to see my drawings." I admitted.

"Okay then, think it over Ms. Avery. Maya, what about you?" she turned to my friend.

"I'd rather not, but thanks for the offer." Maya said looking slightly uncomfortable.

"I'd appreciate you two thinking about it, okay?" The teacher tried one more time before walking away.

Topanga, Auggie, Cory, and I were sitting at the table eating dinner when Riley walked over to the fridge, "They've been lying to you, Auggie. Your artwork would not hang on a single refrigerator outside of this apartment."

Auggie looked at Topanga suspiciously, "You said I was a little genius."

"Oh, you are a little genius," Topanga reassured him

"You said I was a little genius." Riley pointed out.

"Well, I had no one to compare you to honey, besides Violet and that would just be unfair to you." Topanga told her.

"Maya is going to be a famous artist. Violet literally excels at everything she does and everyone speaks French but me." Riley whined.

"Ma sœur Riley. Tu es une fille très simple et des gens comme vous . (My sister Riley. You're a very simple girl and people like you.)"

Everyone looked at Auggie amazed.

"He's my apprentice," I said high-fiving the five year old, "He is going to change the world with his brilliant mind."

Topanga agreed with me and then looked over to Riley, "you have such a cute top."

'Are there anymore of these brilliant mashed potatoes?" Cory asked finally chiming in.

"That's what you're thinking about right now?" Riley asked annoyed.

"Riley, this whole what-am-I-good-at thing, I've been there my whole life, it's a waste of time." Cory continued eating, "You know what's not a waste of time? Mashed Potatoes. They never let you down. They are the best in the world at being mashed potatoes. SO don't be mashed potatoes, because you will never be better than them at what they do."

"Yeah I think the potatoes are moving in on your man," I whispered to Topanga.

"How are you helping me?" Riley shook her head.

"Can I eat a meal?" Cory asked.

"What about you guys do you have any talents? Did I inherit anything from you two?" Riley asked her parents as I began to teach Auggie more French.

Topanga snorted, "Should we tell them?"

Cory laughed, "You think they're ready?"

"Your father has a gift for...close up magic." Topanga said excitedly.

"Oh boy." I said sitting back this should be fun.

"What?" Riley asked.

"That's right he's a close up magician!"

I started laughing hysterically as Cory did magic and Topanga showed us her talent, which were hips that don't lie.

"Alright future history makers, now there are a lot of ways to make your mark on the world." Cory was talking about career day.

"Hi Riley, Hi Violet,' Topanga said walking into the class.

"Oh great, Shakira is here," Riley said.

"Are your parents coming?" I asked Lucas turning toward him.

'Nah, you?" he asked me.

I shook my head, "It's more likely that the world get taken over by bugs than my mother or father showing up for career day."

"Where's your mom?" Riley asked Maya.

"She's not coming." Maya said with no emotion.

"But she told you she was coming?" I joined in their conversation.

"Yes, she did."

"Okay guys, our first guest today is a lawyer, and I likes her. Hey, lawyer lady. How's about we go out sometime? I get off work every day at 3:15 Except Tuesdays. I got playground." Cory said introducing Topanga.

She rolled her eyes at him, "So I am an attorney. I got here through a lot of hard work in school. By the time I was your age, I had 350 "a" s."

Someone knocked on the door and Riley turned to Maya, "Your mom, there she is!"

Cory walked over and opened the door and in walked an older version of Farkle.

"Minkus." Cory said with a glare.

"Topanga" Minkus looked at my almost mom.

"Stuart." Topanga responded politely.

"Father." Farkle said.

"Farkle." Minkus smiled at the boy.

"Violet." Lucas smiled at me.

"Lucas," I said joining the little game.

"Riley!" Riley added.

"Wait a minute," Lucas looked over to Farkle.

"Yes?" Farkle asked.

"He's your father?" Lucas clarified.

"Look at them," I said knowing how alike they looked.

"Your name is Farkle Minkus?"

"Don't wear it out." Farkle shrugged.

"I don't know how you could," Lucas chuckled.

"Sorry, I was late everyone I had helicopter problems. Because I have a helicopter. Do you have a helicopter, Cory?" Minkus asked my godfather.

"Do you have a Topanga, Minkus?" Cory sassily asked.

"Nope, because she chose you. I run Minkus International, I have a helicopter, and she chose you."

"Stuart please," Topanga flipped her hair, "Aren't we a little too evolved to still be competing with each other?"

Minkus laughed "of course".

Then at the both time they both said, "Go."

"Between the two of us, Riley and I have 1260 "A" s." Topanga bragged.

"Ha! That's remarkable, Topanga." Minkus pretended to be shocked, "Between the two of us, Farkle and I have 1261."

"Well between me and Violet we have 1262." Topanga smirked and I flipped my hair.

"But what's more important to me than anything Is that I have this guy. Come up here, son." Minkus called over his son. Farkle went a proudly stood by his father

"Come up here, daughters." Topanga called me and Riley up. She started with Riley, "Look how tall she is. She's been taller than me since the day she was born. Look at Violet she's been smarter than me since the day she was born." Topanga had one of us on either side of her.

"Well, very nice." Minkus rolled his eyes.

"So this is what career day is really all about." Cory sighed.

"Yeah, I love it every year." Maya said

"I'm sorry, Maya." I smiled at her sympathetically returning to my seat.

"Maybe your mom just got a little busy." Cory suggested.

"She doesn't count. She's not your daughter." Minkus accused Topanga because she was using me too.

"She is my daughter!" Topanga argued.

Then someone walked through the door, "Actually, Topanga, she's my daughter."

I slowly turned to look at the last person I ever expected to see. My mother.

"Violet, dear sit up straight," She walked over to my desk, "Darling, you must make some sort of an effort to look decent."

"What are you doing here?" I asked standing up.

"It's career day," she said as if it were nothing at all, "you know how much I value my career."

"I haven't seen you in years." I said tears building up in my eyes. I did know how much she loved it more than she ever loved me.

"Violet, stop being so dramatic, maybe if I knew what a mess you have become I would've come sooner." She smiled at me passive aggressively.

"I'm Cassandra Avery, I am Violet's mother," Cassandra started talking, "I am a big fashion designer and only the elite wear my designs."

The bell rang and my mother walked over to Cory and Topanga.

"Vi?" Riley said coming over to me with Maya.

"Are you okay peaches?" Maya asked me.

I gave her a smile and nodded, "We can talk about it later," I said as Minkus walked over to us.

"So these are the three ladies you tell me keep chasing you, huh?" Minkus asked Farkle as they came over to us.

"Please," Farkle whispered.

"Yes Sir, it is us." Riley smiled.

"Not doing it," Maya said and I elbowed her.

"Yes sir, it's us." Maya fake smiled.

"We hope that one day one of us will be lucky enough to become the future Mrs. Farkle Minkus and have a lot of baby Minkii." I said as Lucas chuckled from behind me.

Farkle and his father walked off with Maya and Riley, leaving me with Lucas.

"So I guess someone should call the exterminator since your mom is here the bugs will take over any second," Lucas said trying to cheer me up as he sat next to me on the desk.

"That would probably be a good idea," I said.

"You know nothing she is true right?" he asked me moving a piece of hair from my face.

"What do you mean?"

"You're not dramatic, you aren't a mess, you're beautiful, you're perfect," he said and I blushed as he leaned in and I closed my eyes.

"Well, well, well," My mother walked over to us, "Violet aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

I shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm Lucas mam, Lucas Friar," Lucas extended his hand to my mother.

"Pleasure," She said shaking his hand and then looking to me, "You could learn of few things about manners from this boy. Violet I have some business to attend to, I will see you soon, do clean up...this," She pointed all around my body and handed me her business card. "Ciao darling."

I hadn't seen her in 10 years and she comes to see me for less than 20 minutes unbelievable.

Lucas was hugging me when Cory came over and broke it up.

"Are you okay Violet?" Topanga asked hugging me.

I smiled at my friends and at Cory and Topanga, "I'll be fine." I turned to Maya, "I have my real family here to help me, and the real question is are you okay?"

"I think I'll be fine too."

"The Korean War, "Cory started the next morning in class.

"Genghis Khan," I blurted out.

"What?" Cory and Farkle asked.

"I just wanted to see what would happen," I shrugged.

"Hello, Cory Matthews. I am so sorry for interrupting." Maya's mom said walking into the classroom

Maya put her head into her hands and muttered, "Oh no."

"Class, this is Maya's mother, Katy hart." Cory introduced Maya's mom and she gave the class a bright smile.

"Mom, what are you doing? It was yesterday." Maya said embarrassed.

"Yesterday I was unable to attend your little job fair." Katy told Cory In a strange voice.

"Career day". Maya corrected her.

"Yesterday I was trapped in my vehicle in the rushing flood waters of the mighty Colorado river! To make matters worse, I just found out I was about to have a baby any second. So I crawled myself through the sunroof and I said, "Let's do this thing. Then I commenced to deliver my own baby until finally I heard that wonderful, magical sound." Katy paused and mimicked baby crying noises, "Mama? Are you my mama?"

"Maya?" I asked concerned for her mother's state of mind.

"Soap opera. She was auditioning for a soap opera." Maya explained rolling her yes.

"I am an actress." Katy said.

"Are there any questions I can answer for anyone?" Katy asked and looked around the classroom, Farkle had raised his hand. "Ah, yes, the Farkle."

"Why are you wearing a waitress outfit?"

"Anyone else?" Katy avoided the question then pointed to Lucas, "Yes, the pretty, young man right there."

"Yeah, thanks. Um, why are you wearing a waitress outfit?" Lucas asked.

"My dad says actors are just a bunch of people who never grew up." Some random kid from the back of the class said.

Katy chuckled, "What does your dad do?"

"He's a director."

"Is he? Well, I'm sure your father never gave me a job either, which is the real reason I wear this outfit every day. Well, I'll just be going now." She said walking out of the classroom.

Riley followed Katy out of the classroom and eventually Maya and I joined them.

"Hi, mom" Maya said as her and I walked out of the classroom.

"Hey, Maya". Katy smiled at her.

"Could I ask you a favor?" Maya asked leaning against the wall.

"Of course, anything" Katy promised.

"I think it works best for us when you go on your imaginary auditions and Chase my imaginary father. I appreciate your coming, I do. And I'm not humiliated. I'm not. I'm okay." Maya told her in a quiet voice. Maya sighed "You okay?"

Katy nodded sadly.

" Good." Maya said and then she walked up the hall and I followed her leaving Riley with Katy

"Drawing a woman's face is different than drawing a man's. Look for subtle differences. The lips are different" Our art teacher explained, today we were drawing Riley.

"No matter what, don't get mad at me, okay?" Riley told me and Maya.

"We could never." I said suspiciously.

"To paint a young woman's lips, she needs to stop flapping them" The teacher scolded Riley.

"Because if I have any talent at all, it's this, so don't get mad at me." Riley continued.

"We could never." Maya said this time while I was sketching.

"Because when the mouth is moving, it will affect all the sketches. And they all come out like this" Ms. Kossal showed us a picture of Riley with her mouth wide open, "Except for these ones." She glanced at our drawings.

"You don't listen to a word I say, do you?" The teacher asked me and Maya.

"Uh, it's not because we're disrespectful." I quickly tried to explain.

"It's because you're an artist." The teacher said smiling.

"I'm glad you guys decided to display your work. I got your note in my teacher's box." She said to us and I immediately looked at Riley.

"That's the thing you're not supposed to get mad at." She wouldn't look at me.

"The exhibit starts at 's thrilling seeing your art displayed, you won't regret it."

I walked over to Riley with Maya, "You don't listen to a word we say, do you?"

"I-it's not because I'm disrespectful." Riley told us with a smile on her face, "It's because you're an artist."

"Yeah? Then let me paint you something." I told her as I flung some green paint on her, everyone got up and ran out of the room except for Lucas, Maya, Riley, and I"

"Okay," Riley got up off of her stool, "Violet, Maya, I am your best friend and I will always do my best by you, no matter what you Say." She threw some red paint at us and I hid behind Lucas and it got on him.

"And who made you the king of friendship?" Maya asked Riley as she painted Riley's whole face green.

"I did, I made myself the king of friendship". She grabbed a whole bunch of paint and started painting all of us. "And this would be my first act as a king."

"Hey I didn't even do anything!" Lucas joined the paint fight. We were all throwing paint at each other.

"Why won't you leave this alone?!" I yelled at Riley

"I don't know how!" Riley yelled as we continued painting each other.

Lucas put his arm around my waist, "Gotcha," He started to lean in once again and when our lips were almost touching he dropped a whole bucket of paint on me.

"Oh my god!" I yelled

"All's fair in love and paint war," He smirked and Riley and Maya threw paint at us.

"Whoa!" The art teacher walked in and I thought we were all busted "Riley this is the most authentic piece you've done all semester".

"What?" Riley asked shocked.

"Now clean it up." She walked toward the door but turned around, "See you tonight, May and Violet"

"One other thing I invited your moms" Riley said.

I handed her the biggest bowl of paint and Maya nodded at her and Riley dumped it on her own head

"How's it going?" I asked Maya as Farkle, Riley, Lucas, and I walked over to her painting.

"It's going fine." She sighed.

"What does your mom think?" I asked Maya as my hand brushed against Lucas' and he smiled down at me.

"What does your mom think?" She asked me.

"They never showed up" Riley said in disbelief. Lucas interlaced our fingers knowing I was uncomfortable.

"It's just you guys" I said, "And Riley there's no other way I'd rather have it."

"Are you telling me your mom never showed up?" Riley asked.

"It would be hard considering she's in a different country." I smiled at her.

"But of course you did "Maya said smiling at my real parents.

"Hey, Maya." Topanga chuckled. "Wow, you really have some talent".

"Look at that place." Cory said referring to Maya's painting of half of her mother and the diner she worked at before walking over to me and Lucas and standing between us. "I bet it's got great mashed potatoes."

"Look at that lady, why can you only see half of her?" Farkle asked as Lucas wrapped his arm around Farkle's mouth

"Oh." Farkle mumbled.

I Started said dragging Riley out of the dart show, I was not going to let Maya feel abandoned. Her mom loved her and I know how it feels when your mom doesn't.

We went to the diner where Maya's mom works and when we walked in a big scary looking guy was blocking my way.

"Get out of my way," I said glaring at the man, he moved slightly impressed by me.

"Did you think I wouldn't hunt you down?" Riley asked Katy.

"No, I was pretty sure you would." Katy sighed. "You want a tuna melt?"

"No, because I'm supposed to be somewhere, and so are you." I said crossing my arms.

"You know, all I do with Maya is disappointing her." Katy looked down at her waitressing outfit.

"Here's what's funny, you're not disappointing her at all. You're only disappointing me." Riley admitted.

"I came to school and embarrassed her." Katy started then continued, "I pretend I'm fancy, but I'm not. I thought I had good marriage, but I didn't. I pretend to have a career, and I don't. I love that little girl and I won't pretend with her."

"You need to go to her." I said.

"No." Katy laughed nervously, "You saw what happens when I do. You need to go to her."

"Riley, Violet, what does your dad do for a living?" Katy asked trying to prove a point.

"Teacher." Riley answered.

"And mom?"

" Lawyer." I answered this time.

"And me?" Katy finally asked.

"Actress?" I asked.

"Waitress, girls," Katy said cleaning the counter in front of her, "And people tend to stay at the same level as their parents, and I want more for her than coming home with those little arms of hers covered in pancake syrup." Katy admitted. "Maya's very lucky to have you two. Don't think I don't know that."

"She's lucky to have you too." I said.

"And I am offering you a tuna melt to show my gratitude. Yes or no?"

"Sure" I said.

"You guys really don't have to stay." I heard Maya tell Cory and Topanga.

"Are you kidding? We love supporting the middle school art scene." Cory said putting an arm around Maya.

"Yeah, we even bought a drawing." Topanga held up one of the drawings of Riley with her mouth wide open, "You have to wonder who this silly, little weirdo is."

Riley went over to Topanga and opened her mouth wide, "Aw It's our silly, little weirdo."

"Thank you for staying with Maya." I said hugging Topanga.

"Always." Cory said.

"I couldn't get her to come and I'm very disappointed." Riley said to Maya sadly.

"I know you expect too much." Maya said.

"This is hard on me." Riley said frowning.

"You need a hug, darling?" Maya asked opening her arms.

"Maya, I was wrong." Riley said hugging Maya.

"No, Riley, you were right." Maya told her happily.

"I'm very confused." I said.

"I showed my work." Maya said. "People liked it. It made me feel like I could be something someday."

"You will be." I said, "You are now."

"Thank you, Violet." Maya hugged me.

"Do you want a third of a tuna melt?" I asked her giving her the box.

"You know why she gave this to you?" Maya asked me smiling as I gave her the box.

"Why?"

"She knows it's my favorite thing there. She knew that you'd share with me." Maya said smiling.

"I'd be happy to give you the whole thing." I said.

"I know you would. I'll be just fine with a third." Maya said taking a bite of the sandwich.

At the end of the art gallery I was walking around and Lucas came up to me, "hi."

"Hey cowboy," I said giving him a smile.

"I'm sorry your mom didn't come" he slid his hands in his pocket.

"Lucas by now she's halfway around the world and I won't see her for another 10 years. She may have told Riley she'd be here, but she never had the intention of staying. It should probably make me sad or something, but I'm here with my real family and friends" I said.

"I'm sorry," he said looking at the floor.

"Don't be," I smiled.

"Violet?" He took a step closer to me.

"Yeah?' I turned to look at him in the eyes.

He didn't say anything, he didn't have to, he put his hands on both sides of my face and pulled my face to his finally kissing me.


	7. Girl Meets Smackle

"Ancient Greece," Cory said starting class right after the bell had rung; He was walking around the front of the classroom holding a very prettily wrapped present.

"What that? What that that?" Riley asked pointing to the present.

"What thi-this?" Cory asked her and she nodded, "This is a present."

"Is it for me?" Riley asked with a big smile on her face.

"What's your game, Cory?" I asked raising my eyebrows.

"Game? I mean no game." Cory answered too quickly, "I just want to know who here wants this present."

Everyone raised their hands except Maya and me.

"Oh, Maya, Violet, what? You assume by playing hard to get, I'm gonna give it to you?" Cory asked us

"Well, yes," Maya said as if it were obvious, "That's one of the many arrows in my quiver."

"Medieval talk what are you doing to me, woman?" Farkle asked Maya shuddering.

"Violet?" he turned to me.

"Well, no I just don't want it considering it's probably some life lesson on a box," I shrugged.

"Riley!" He handed her the present.

"Yay!" She quickly opened the box and pulled out a small chalkboard that said, "The Trojan horse?"

"Surprise" Cory said smiling.

"Called it," I said.

"This isn't a present." Riley pouted, "This is one of your life lessons wrapped up in a class lesson wrapped up in a box of nothing just like Violet said."

"How you doing, honey?" I asked Riley.

"I'm all worked up" Riley said furrowing her eyebrows.

"We know," Maya said comforting her.

"You assumed because it was all neat and pretty that something good was inside. Ancient Troy was protected by walls. The Greeks couldn't get in, so they built a big wooden horse and left it behind. What do you think the Trojans did?" Cory was lecturing the class.

"They left it there because they were afraid that somebody was trying to teach them something?" I jokingly asked, before seriously answering the question, "They captured it as a trophy and brought it inside. That night, the Greek soldiers crawled out of the horse and defeated Troy."

"What have we learned here?" Cory asked. Lucas raised his hand and Cory called on him, "Mr. Friar?"

"Don't make assumptions based on what you see?" Lucas said.

"Riley, listen, I'm sorry I made an example of you." Cory apologized before pulling out a smaller box, "So here's a gift for you."

"Ooh no! I want to no! Pretty ribbon no!" Riley said battling with herself.

"I'll take my chances with that, Sir." Lucas said as he got handed the box.

"No, Lucas. You have to assume it was no good because the first one was no good." Riley told him putting her hand on the box to stop him from opening it, "Aren't you all proud of me, dad?

"No!" He said and she finally let Lucas open the box

"Get out of detention free," Lucas said pulling out a small card.

"Ooh, I could use one of those," Maya said, "Gimme that and I won't call you "ranger Rick" all week."

"Here you go" he handed her the card.

"Thanks, ranger Roy." She said grabbing the card

"Lemme guess. Ranger Roy is filling in for ranger Rick?" I asked her shaking my head and laughing.

"All week." She laughed with me "And now you." She turned to Cory.

"Oh, is something gonna happen to me?" he asked scared.

"Yes, it is." I answered.

"D-d-d-detention but not today. Boom!" Maya sang getting up onto Cory's desk and dancing before shoving the card in his face.

"Read the card." Cory told her.

"Say 'get out of detention free' then give worthless card to Maya then watch her dance on my desk." Maya read sadly.

"Never assume." Cory stated again, "Look more deeply. Just because something is wrapped up all pretty, doesn't always mean it is."

"You were in on this!" Maya turned to Lucas threateningly.

"I'm ranger Roy and I'll be here all week." He said as we all walked out of the classroom and were standing at my locker.

"You're such a dork," I said rolling my eyes as he wrapped his arms around me from behind.

"But I'm your dork," he said kissing my cheek, "I gotta go, I'll see you later?"

"Definitely," I said winking at him.

He walked away and Maya was smirking at me while Riley was just smiling.

"What?" I asked putting my books into my locker.

"So you and Lucas?" Maya asked nudging me. I still hadn't told them about the kiss or the kiss after that or the kiss after that one. I just wasn't ready to tell them yet, because I didn't know what me and Lucas are.

"Lucas and Violet sitting in a tree," Riley started singing.

"That's enough," I sighed smiling, "Let's go get seats at the debate."

"In conclusion, school uniforms reduce individuality which will be unnecessary in the real world when you're all working for me. Thank you. I am Farkle!" Farkle finished the concluding statement of his side of the debate. I was sitting in between Lucas and Riley and Maya was on the other side of Riley.

I rested my head on Lucas' shoulder and looked down at our intertwined fingers smiling to myself.

"I don't understand debate." Riley said turning to me.

"I say you do." I stated.

"Okay" She shrugged and faced forward.

"I like debate exploring two sides of the same thing and defining the middle ground: good, necessary, and bad, light, gray, and dark, right in front of you at the same time. Where else are you gonna get that?" Lucas looked at the three of us, "Oh, right here. Look at you."

"And now from Einstein academy," Cory began introducing Farkle's opponent, "undefeated this season, she is who your mama wishes she gave birth to!" The one, the only Smackle!"

Smackle burst into the room through a poster of Albert Einstein and walked around the room to Farkle, "You going' down, chump".

She began her argument, "Wearing a uniform makes you surrender to conformity and sacrifices uniqueness, which is our most valuable freedom. Don't let anybody tell you what to wear. Don't let anybody tell you what to be. Smackle, the one and only, out." She sat down with the rest of her team.

Cory got up from his seat, "Well, before I announce the winner, let me remind you all that our final debate of the season will be held right here next week, where our thought-provoking topic will be 'is beauty only skin deep?"'

A woman came over and handed Cory an envelope. "Great, thank you. So the winner of today's debate is…" Farkle began to stand up but Cory pushed him back down, "Isadora Smackle, Einstein academy."

"It looks like our debate team could use some help." I said standing up finally letting go of Lucas' hand.

"Yeah, Smackle's definitely got game." Lucas agreed

"She beats Farkle every time. You think he's gotten used to it by now?" Riley asked us as Maya stared at Farkle on the floor.

Farkle groaned from his spot in the middle of the floor, "It hurts".

"Nope. Good thing we're there for him," Maya said as the three of us started to walk over to him.

"Being there for him is the most important thing we can be," Riley said before spotting a snack table, "melon balls."

"Ooh." Maya and Riley and I walked over to the table.

"Well, Farkle, good job being smart and everything." Riley said when she and I finally reached Farkle, Maya was talking to Lucas.

"Thanks for coming, Riley and Violet." He smiled at us "Sorry you had to see me lose again."

"Wonderful debate, Farkle. A memory that will live with me right up until the next thing happens." I said hugging Farkle before he walked out of the auditorium.

"Well, Smackle, good job being smart and everything." I said smiling at Smackle.

"I am sad." She said in a robotic tone.

"What?" Riley asked.

"Farkle and I are perfect for each other." She said looking us up and down "Why does he prefer you?"

"I don't know." I said "If I knew, I'd stop."

"Well, there's nothing left to do now but get a smoothie all alone and continue this good cry I'm having." She looked at us expectantly.

"You're crying?" I asked skeptically.

"Yes. A-wah a-wah." She started to fake cry.

"Look, I am going to ask you something really fast and then I'm going to regret it. Do you wanna come to my house?" Riley asked and I looked at her like she was crazy.

"Yes, I would like to come to your house. There is much I can learn from you." Smackle said immediately acting happy again.

"Oh, no! I already have a weird friend." Maya said walking over to us.

"She means me." Riley said proudly.

"Why do I have to be a part of your campaign to befriend every little woodland creature?" I asked Riley as her, Maya, Smackle, and me were all sitting at the bay window. I didn't trust Smackle I feel like we are somehow being tricked into helping her beat Farkle.

"Which woodland creature am I in your mind?" Smackle asked.

"You're like a little gopher Chipmunk combo deal." Maya answered.

"Maya, Violet, Smackle needs our help." Riley told us and we both rolled our eyes.

"Yes. I need you to teach me the equation for beauty," Smackle said and I laughed.

"Why?" Maya asked.

"Smackle loves Farkle." Riley explained.

"Why?" I asked this time.

"But he prefers you three to me because you're all aesthetically pleasing." Smackle said, "I, on the other hand, am less aesthetically pleasing, but am superior in every other area."

"Um I beg to differ," I said annoyed with the girl. "Okay, so you want us to make you beautiful?" I clarified.

"Yes, but I don't expect you to be able to change a trillion years of evolution in five seconds."

"Let me know when it's four seconds." I said playing with the ring on my finger.

"Go." Maya yelled and we all started to work on Smackle.

"I'm pretty?" Smackle asked when she finally looked in the mirror.

"You're the hottest little gopher-chipmunk in the whole forest." I said smiling at her.

"My outward appearance now seems to represent the current trends agreeable to the general populace." Smackle said talking to herself.

"Then why are you still talking like you don't know what you look like?" Riley asked.

"Ah, my speech. That's an easy fix." Smackle said.

"I don't think so." I said sitting down on my bed.

"Awesome, like, giggle, question, omigosh."

"Do you wanna lay that out again for us normals?" Maya said looking at Smackle as if she were crazy.

"Observations reveal that if I merely insert "awesome," "like," "omigosh," and giggle at everything like it's a question, I will assimilate into the general teenage population." Smackle shrugged.

"It's not that easy, Smackle." Maya snickered.

"E=mc2." Smackle said.

"Why are you saying that right now?" I asked confused.

"Did you do that for? Like "e" totally equals M.C. Squared!" Smackle giggled, " Omigosh, awesome!"

" I understand the universe." Riley said.

"Seriously?" I said rolling my eyes.

"Ladies," Farkle said as Riley, Maya, and I walked into debate team practice.

"Farkle." We all said in sync.

"Violet, why are you wearing glasses?" Lucas asked me.

"They're Smackle's." I shrug, "I'm just holding them for her On my face."

"We want to see if people will treat Violet differently now that she looks smart." Riley explained as the two other boys in the room turned to me.

"Hello, suddenly-approachable-woman." One of the boys said.

"What's your prescription? Mine's 20/800. I can basically only hear you." The other said.

"I don't have a prescription. Although I must say, you guys are looking a lot less blurry." I said walking over to Lucas and he immediately put an arm around me.

"That's the nicest thing any girl's ever said to us." The first boy said.

"I liked you better blurry." I said taking off the glasses.

"That's the second nicest thing a girl's ever said to us." The same boy said.

"I think you look nice any way you are, Vi." Farkle said smiling at me with adoration.

".Thanks" I smiled at him.

"You wanna go out with us?" Maya asked Farkle.

"Out like "out on a date"?" Farkle fell to the floor in shock.

" Aw, no." Riley said.

"Out like out there with me and Riley And Vi because there's someone else we want to introduce you to." Maya said squatting next to Farkle on the floor.

"We think you'll really like her." Riley added

"I have a very specific taste in girls." Farkle said sitting up.

"Is she one?" he asked.

" Uh-huh." I answered.

"That'll do it!" He walked out of the class.

"Presenting your date from the modeling runways of Paris, France the new face of geek chic Isadora Smackle." I presented Smackle in a French accent to Farkle who was sitting in a booth at Topanga's bakery.

"Wow," Farkle said looking at the girl, "You made her over?"

"You know, just us girls playing with our hair and clothes." Riley said as Smackle sat down across from Farkle.

"Are you finally intrigued by me, Farkle?" Smackle asked batting her eyelashes.

"I'm intrigued that my friends don't realize - that you are an evil genius." Farkle said looking at us.

"But a pretty evil genius, don't you think?" Riley giggled.

"This is debate preparation, isn't it?" Farkle asked finally figuring out Smackle's plan.

"What?" I asked.

"The next debate is "is beauty only skin deep?" Smackle doesn't want to be like you guys. Smackle only wants to win. You ladies have been played." Farkle told us.

"Is this true, Smackle?" Riley asked hurt.

"Affirmative." Smackle smirked at us.

"Riley, do I please have your permission to mess her up now? " I asked glaring at the girl.

"Negative." Riley said.

"Smackle, did you assume this outward change in your appearance - would not affect your inner self?"

"Of course it won't. I am Smackle." Smackle said.

"Hi, guys." Lucas walked into the bakery and walked over to us.

"Wow, Smackle, you look great." He complimented her.

Smackle giggled, "Did that just come from me?"

"Smile at her." I told Lucas and he did.

"Omigosh." Smackle said, "Omigosh, I just said "Omigosh. Like, awesome."

"Are you okay, Smackle?" Maya asked smirking.

"I don't understand what's happening to me." Smackle admitted.

"Why don't you sit next to her, Lucas?" Farkle told him. Being the easy going guy he was, he sat next to her without question.

"No one that's ever looked like you has ever sat this close. Are you sitting here because you want to be my mate?" Smackle giggled and I laughed.

"I'm sitting here because the seat was empty." Lucas turned to me giving me a look asking for help but I couldn't stop laughing.

"You smell like pine trees." Smackle sniffed him.

"Thank you." Lucas said clearly uncomfortable.

"Our feet are touching." She said in awe.

"You're doing that" Lucas said.

"Smackle, would you mind telling me, what is the square root of 36?" Farkle asked the girl.

"Who cares?" She said staring at the boy who was staring at me. "Excellent. Lucas is on our debate team. Will that be a distraction to you?" Farkle asked.

"Should be, yeah."

"Good. Let's go. We've got a debate to prepare for." Farkle and Lucas left leaving us with Smackle.

"What have you done to me? I'm broken. I'm pretty. I'm confused." Smackle said looking torn.

"We can put you back." I said.

"Oh, I'm not going' back! I'm not that confused." She said looking at her nails.

"Okay, who's first?" I asked when Maya, Riley, and I walked into our room and Farkle and Auggie were sitting at the bay window.

"I am" Auggie announced.

"Farkle, do you have an appointment?" Maya asked.

" No, I'm a walk-in." He said looking to the ground.

"I'm sorry, Farkle. Feel free to read one of our waiting room magazines. We're jammed." I said pointing him to our waiting chair.

"Go." Riley said when we all sat down with Auggie.

"I want to be with Ava until I die." He told us.

"She doesn't feel the same way?" I asked not seeing the problem yet.

"She's vague, man. She's messin' with my mind."

"But it doesn't matter what she says, it matters is what she does." Maya pointed out.

"Did she actually break up with you?" I asked.

"No."

"What?! Wait a minute. Auggie, I assumed you guys broke up." Topanga said joining us on the bay window.

"Oh, mom. You should never assume. Didn't dad teach you that?" Riley asked.

"Yeah, don't you get the home versions of these lessons? - You're married to the guy." Maya pointed out.

"Of course I do." Topanga scoffed, "There's just so many of them. Oh no, I married Feeny."

"So how is Ava messin' with you?" Riley asked her brother.

"She says we might not be together forever. But she also says we might." Auggie explained.

"So you still have a girlfriend?" I clarified.

"And I let you eat cake and whipped cream." Topanga reminded him.

"Hmm, so I had a pretty good day!" Auggie announced before walking out of the room with Topanga.

"Next!" Riley called.

"Yes?" I asked Farkle as he sat with us.

"I'm tortured." He started.

"What about?" Maya asked.

"Smackle's not gonna be at her best at the debate." He continued.

"Why not?" Riley asked.

"Because you made her better." He thought about it, "Except you didn't."

"You want us to change her back? If we do, Farkle, you'll lose the debate." I said sadly to the boy.

"I only want to beat her when she's really her. She's the best arch-Nemesis I could ever have" Farkle decided.

"Otherwise, if you beat her, it doesn't count." I said understanding.

"You're really smart, Violet."

"Even without glasses?" I asked jokingly.

"You promised you'd change her back." Farkle came up to us before the debate.

"We tried." I said.

"She wouldn't go for it." Maya explained.

"The nation of Troy was charmed by a beautiful wooden horse.

They neglected to consider what was inside.

And they lost everything because of outer beauty.

Don't be fooled by a pretty wrapper.

I mean, who keeps the wrapping paper?" Farkle started his argument.

"And our concluding statement will be made by Lucas Friar." Farkle announced as Lucas got up to speak.

"There can be absolutely no debate that the quest for outer beauty at the expense of one's inner self is a road to personal destruction.

People make assumptions.

I've been labeled a jock and a cowboy, and this is from my friends.

But here's a little secret.

I like school and I do pretty well.

You might look at me and assume baseball player.

I look at me and I know I'd better get good grades, because what's on the inside has to be more important than what is on the outside to get into a good college and into a good life.

Because beauty is not skin deep.

Thank you." Lucas sat down and everyone clapped for him

Smackle got up and began to talk, "Omigosh, I'm like so totally unprepared and scared.

Maybe that's what you would assume I would say, considering the effort I put into my appearance.

I'm here to argue today that beauty actually is skin deep.

So I've done some research and I've learned that it is.

When you get compliments from people who don't ordinarily compliment you, when people look at you differently, packaging does matter.

I wasn't pretty, and then I was.

This is a world where "pretty" seems better somehow.

Which is too bad, but it's not debatable.

However, I also learned that if you get swept up by what you are on the outside you can lose who you are on the inside.

Even though it is easy to be fooled by the beauty of a Trojan horse, its real power comes from the army within intelligence, compassion, integrity, courage.

That army is the real you, no matter what you look like.

So even though beauty may be skin deep, beauty is nowhere near as important as the army inside.

And I'll try not to forget that.

Well, look at all of you.

You're all very deeply beautiful.

Especially you, Farkle.

Thank you."

"Thank you for taking me in. I hope we can be friends." Smackle came over to us.

"We've got a lot to learn from each other." Maya told her.

"I continue to not understand anything." Riley announced.

"That's what's so beautiful about you." I told her.

"Valiant effort, Lucas, perhaps a smoothie would take the sting out of my latest victory." Smackle said to Lucas when we all went to the bakery after the debate.

Whoa whoa, I don't think so," I said showing her Lucas and I's connected hands.

"I actually think that Smackle is just enjoying some newfound confidence, Vi." Farkle said.

"You know me too well, arch-Nemesis." Smackle smiled lovingly at Farkle.

"She was using you to make Farkle jealous!" Riley laughed.

Lucas chuckled, "Well, that's a new one."

"Tell me the truth, Farkle." Smackle requested, "If Riley, Maya, and Violet weren't beautiful, would you still love them?"

"They're beautiful? Oh yeah, I never really noticed." Farkle said smiling at the three of us.


	8. Girl Meets Popular

"Look what's happening, look what's coming." Riley tugged on my arm while I was talking to Maya about Lucas.  
"What's coming, crazy?" I asked her turning away from Maya.  
"Invitations...To the seventh grade parties. It's begun. We could be party girls." Riley said excitedly, "I'm going to need a party-girl walk." She said while walking like a person with two brokem legs.  
"Yeah, that's not it." Maya told her steadying her with her hands.  
"You know, there is going to be boys at these parties. But not just any boys. No, opposite-sex boys." Riley continued.  
" I've heard they're the best kind." I said holding in my laughter.  
"Yeah, you sound ready for this." Maya said sarcastically.  
"Oh, I am. And I may just be the first girl who crosses over from our side of the room to the..." Riley stopped and watched Lucas walk into the hall.  
"Yeah, it's gonna be me." I said as we continued watching Lucas.  
"Yeah, it's gonna be you." Riley agreed glancing sadly once more at Lucas.  
"What's going on guys," Lucas asked coming over to us standing in between Riley and I.  
"You know what pretty-boy hipster is handing out invitations to... Don't you?" Riley asked the three of us.  
"A party?" Lucas asked confused.  
"Membership cards to the popular club." Riley corrected him.  
"Why can't you just let it be a party?" I asked rubbing my temples.  
"Because this is it, right here. This is where you all go one way and I go the other way. You guys get the invite and you marry pretty-boy hipster and Violet marries Lucas, and I end up marrying Anthony Delveccio and we buy things in bulk. You're all gonna be popular. I'm not. Good for you. Good girls. Bye-bye, Violet, Maya," She started to pretend to sob. Then pretty invitation boy walked over to us and handed only Riley an invitation. "Yay! For me. I know you guys didn't get one, but is it okay if I'm really happy?"  
"You go get 'em, tiger." I said laughing knowing she just got invited to a nerd party.  
"I love you, but... You're a lot of work" Maya said as Riley started to dance down the hall.

"Boom!" Riley said as she shoved her invitation in her dad's face.  
"You got invited to something?" he asked surprised.  
"So much for genetics, baby." I said making fun of Cory.  
"Ooh, seventh grade party. Yup, I didn't get invited to a whole lot of these." Cory said sadly, "Good for you. I'm proud of you. Boy-girl party?" he asked Riley looking up from the invitation.  
"Yup." Maya answered.  
"You can't go." Cory threw the invitation.  
"May I approach?" I asked sitting at my desk.  
"Hurry, please." Riley and Cory said at the same time both looking to me.  
"I'm gonna keep your young'un out of trouble, Cory" I said smiling sweetly at him.  
"Violet, you are trouble. Why would I want my young'un anywhere near the same party you or Maya are gonna be at?" Cory shot me a confused look.  
"Say it. You know you wanna say it." I pushed him and saw Riley and Maya smiling as they finally caughton to my plan.  
"You can't go if Maya or Violet are invited." Cory said thinking he won.  
"We aren't invited." Maya said smirking at Cory  
"Then you may go." I said.  
"Thanks, daddy." Riley hugged me.  
"All right, good day, everybody. Class dismissed." I said as everyone started coming into class.  
"Sit down!" Cory said sternly.  
"Sit down." The three of us said in unison mocking him, before sitting in our seats.  
Cory rolled his eyes and began to teach, "So there's this guy Damocles who really really wants to be king. One day he gets an invitation to come sit on the throne and actually hang with royalty."  
" No!" Riley yelled.  
"Sup, riles?" I said laughing.  
Maya added, "Pop's lesson hitting a little close to home?"  
"Nope, what he's saying has nothing to do with me." She said trying to convince herself more than us, " Yes, I've been invited to hang with middle-school royalty, but nothing bad could happen." "I'm sure you're right." I said sarcastically.  
"When Damocles sat on the throne he noticed a sword hanging over it, help up by a single tiny thread." Cory continued ignoring the three of us.  
I raised my hand, "Violet," Cory called on me.  
"So what you're saying is to be careful what you wish for?" I asked.  
" Why?" Cory asked hoping I would jump to another point.  
" Being what other people want you to be is just a sword hanging over your head."  
"Good." Cory said.  
"Riley?" Maya asked.  
" Nothing to do with me." She said once again.

"Well, looky here, teacher daddy, nothing hanging over my head except this here halo of popularity," Riley said making a circle above her head. "And yay for you two, my best friends, for watching me with a smile. "  
"Yeah, I'm smiling, " Maya said.  
"I'm watching." I continued waiting for Riley to figure out just what kind of party this was.  
"All right, all right. Half hour you can stay. I'm waiting right here." Cory said as she rang the doorbell. He exhaled and turned to us, "I changed my mind. I want you in there. Protect your friend."  
"I can't do that, Cory." I said.  
"Why not?" he asked annoyed.  
"Wasn't invited." maya explained to the man.  
"Why is that exactly? " he asked finally realising that something odd was going on.  
"Oh. You're about to find out," I snickered as the door opened.  
"Smile. Watch." Maya said turning him toward the open door.  
"Greetings, fellow partygoer. " Farkle said to Riley from the door.  
"Farkle?" Riley asked confused.  
"Starting to become clear, Cory? " I asked holding in my laughter.  
"Oh yeah. I'm smiling real big. " Cory started laughing.  
"Announcing the arrival of party guest number six, female number one." Farkle told the other nerds at the party.  
"I'm a female, Farkle." Smackle claimed standing up.  
"You getting this yet?" Maya asked Cory.  
"But pretty boy... pretty boy's still here." Riley said pointing to the odd boy in the trench coat.  
"Wait for it." I told her pointing behind her.  
"That's the greatest thing I've ever seen in my life." Cory said laughing as the one boy turned out to be two really nerdy boys.  
"It's a geek party." Riley finally realised frowning.  
"I know, honey." I said giving her a sympathetic look.  
"Everybody welcome Riley." Farkle said to all the nerds and Riley walked into the apartment. They all spoke to her in a weird foreign language.  
"Honey, stay an hour. Stay a week, stay forever. Just enjoy." Cory said still laughing with Maya and I, "Hey, you know what would make this just perfect for me?" he asked us.  
"Have you noticed the lightsabers hanging from the ceiling precariously over your head?" One of the nerds asked Riley as the lightsaber fell from the cieling and stopped right above her head hanging by a thread.  
"Damocles." Riley said annoyed.  
"There it is. " i told Cory  
"I know." He said as Riley closed the door.

"Okay, Farkle. Where is she?" I asked grabbing him by his shirt collar, etremely mad. Riley was already up and gone when I woke up in the morning.  
" Whatever have I done to deserve this display of affection?" Farkle asked trying to look into my eyes.  
"Woah. Woah. This look like affection to you?" Lucas asked pulling me back from Farkle.  
I takes it however I gets it." Farkle said fixing his shirt.  
"She wasn't there when I tried to pick her up this morning, she was gone when Vi woke up, and I couldn't find her in the halls. What'd you do with my girl?" Maya said grabbing Farkle just as I had. I was standing to the side Lucas' arms still wrapped tightly around me.  
"Maya, release the Farkle." Riley said walking into the classroom with colorful clothes and different color hair she continued as we all starred at her, " Farkle didn't do anything except open my eyes to what the world really thinks I am."  
" A harajuku girl?" I asked.  
" Yes, because I figure if what I am is nerdy-geeky, I'm going to set the nerdy-geeky world on fire." She said fixing her glasses.  
"You take it." Maya said shaking her head.  
" Nope, beyond me. All yours." I said leaning back into Lucas.  
"Why should I struggle to be popular when I can be these people's empress fairy queen?" Riley asked making a weird honking noise.  
"No, please. The one guy was two guys. The sword fell. This is the way you're gonna go?" Maya asked shaking her.  
" You're gonna embrace this?" I asked in disbelief.  
" Deal with it. I've gone over to the dork side." SHe went and sat at her desk.  
"This isn't you." i said stepping away from my Lucas  
"This is her." Farkle coming way to close to me.  
"They love this me." Riley said giggling.  
"I'm not changing you back." I told her sitting at my desk crossing my arms.  
" Oh, yes you are. My daughter's going through this week's crazy... You get in there." Cory came over to me.  
" Father, may we continue with the lesson? I seek knowledge." Riley said and I rolled my eyes.  
" Never mind, leave her alone." Cory said.  
" Look at her!" I exclaimed she looked estatic to be in school.  
"All right, what do you guys know about girls? " Cory asked the group of nerds.  
"Mostly we're terrified of them, sir. So we try to keep our distance." the nerds answered honestly.  
" Well, then I choose empress fairy nut job." Cory said starting to teach. While I just looked at RIley sadly.

"Come on. This is not who you are. What do you know about being a harajuku girl?" Maya asked Riley.  
" I don't have to know anything except that they love it. Sorry, Maya, I walk with a different crowd now. And as you can see, I am quite the influence on them." Riley said happily.  
"Riley if being liked means not being yourself, than why be popular?" I asked exaspereated.  
"Violet?" Cory asked looking at Riley.  
" She's... Gone, sir." Maya answered him softly.  
"Yes, she is. " Riley said.  
"Okay, I'm gonna take one last shot at this while I believe Riley is still in there and not completely under the spell of..." I started before I was interrupted.

"Ladies."

"Farkle!" I said angrily.

"She's on of us now, Violet." Farkle shrugged.

"She's one of me, Farkle." I said

" You're not letting her reach her full potential." He told me and I stepped back.

"The world I know wants you to be yourself. In my world... it needs you in it." I told her trying to get through to her.

"You're on of us now. And I've decided to prove it by letting you help the John Quincy Adams' spelling-bee team to the regional finals." Farkle said

" Really?' Riley asked surprised.

"I'm right about you, Riley. I know I am." Farkle put a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you, Farkle. Sorry, guys. The world wants what the world wants. And right now the world wants me like this." Riley shurgged.

"This isn't over, Farkle." Maya said threateningly.

"I'm not scared." He stepped closer to Maya.

"Oh, really?" Maya pushed him down to the floor.

Farkle got up and pushed her to the floor.

They kept pushing eachother down until riley said, "Guys! What about me!"

They both pulled her to the floor and I sighed and looked around and saw Lucas flirting with a group of girls outside of the class, I rolled my eyes and sat on the desk annoyed.

Sitting on the couch reading a book with Auggie nerd Riley and A weird hippie who looked like Topanga walked past eachother before stopping and facing eachother.

"How you doing?" Topanga asked Riley.

"Violet?" Auggie said.

"Yup?"

"We're the normal ones, right?" he asked looking at them weirdly.

"I hope so, Aug" I said closing our book

"What is this?" Topanga asked Riley.

"What is that?" Riley asked her.

"This is who I am inside. It's the part of me your father fell in love with a long time ago." Topanga explained as if it were nothing.

"This is what's inside of you?" Riley asked amazed.

"Yeah, might be the best part. Is this the best part of you?" Topanga asked puling some of RIleys fake ponytails.

"I'm extremely popular with five people." Riley said.

"Is one of them you?" Topanga asked sassily.

"Weird mommy's cool." Auggie told me cuddling into my side.  
"Way cool." i agreed.

"Welcome, to this qualifying round of the city regional spelling bee between our own John Quincy Adams middle school" Cory started and we clapped. We were in the auditorium watching the spelling bee. I was sitting next to Maya who was sitting next to Lucas, "...and Einstein academy."

"Formidable opponents... And smackle." Farkle greeted the opposite team.

"I will destroy you." Smackle countered.

"I am energy, you can't destroy energy. Ha!" farkle said before sitting next to Riley, "Riley, get up there and show us who you really are."

Riley walked up to the podium and Cory began to speak, "Okay, miss Matthews. Your first word is..."

I ran up to were Cory was and handed him the card I had made.

"Violet, you can't..." He started.

"Check out the word, Mr. Matthews." Maya told him also standing up and walking to where I was standing.

"Maya, Violet, what are you doing?" Riley asked us confused.  
"Hey, Farkle's not the only one with a master plan." I winked at her.

"Miss Matthews, your word is harajuku." Cory said into the microphone.

"Excuse me?" Riley said taken back.

"Harajuku." I said to her slowly.  
"Uh, may I have the meaning of the word?" She asked

I rolled my eyes and Maya asked,"Oh, you don't know?"

"Then let me tell you. It's a real neighborhood in Japan, where authentic Japanese girls have created an authentic look and life for themselves that is unique to them." cory explained.

"Country of origin?" RIley asked.

"Are you kidding me?" I asked her.  
"Can I hear it in a sentence?"

"Yeah. "Stop pretending to be a harajuku girl, because you're not you're Riley." Maya told her.

"R-i-l-e-y. " I spelled out

"Five seconds, miss Matthews, or you're eliminated." Cory looked at her.

"What do you mean eliminated?"

"It means you wouldn't be part of the group anymore." Farkle told her sadly.

"Harajuku, something I'm n-o-t. Sorry, Farkle. It was a lovely party and your friends are really pretty cool." Riley took off her glasses and walked over to where the nerds were sitting.

"We are?" one of them asked her.

"We've never been called that before."

"Thanks, Riley. We feel the same way about you." Farkle hugged her.

"Well, I guess we're back to where popular is gonna be kind of hard, huh?" Riley asked when she reached us.  
"I wouldn't know." Maya said.

"And let's not try so hard to find out." I hugged my almost sister.  
"You know what the best thing is about being yourself?" I asked her.

"What?"

"You're always popular with your best friends." I siad as we walked out of the speeling bee.


	9. Girl Meets 1961 pt1

~Violet Present~

"The '60s, man." Cory started as we were sitting in our desks "Influential musicians like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez... Playing guitars and singing like prophets. The times, they were a-changin'."

There was a loud thud as someone's head hit the desk.

"The class, they are a-sleepin'." Maya made a joke and I laughed.

"It's not your fault, Cory. It's just the stuff you're saying." I shrugged poking Lucas' beautiful sleeping face..

"I'm talking about the '60s, man." Cory said upset.

"Nobody cares about when you were our age." Riley threw in sincerely thinking her father was alive in the 60s.

"Riley, it was over 50 years ago. How old do you guys think I am?" Cory asked in disbelief.

"There's no right answer to this, sir." Farkle said not bothering to raise his hand.

"You should teach us future class," Maya suggested.

"Listen, Cory, you're doing a wonderful job up there and we're very happy that you're all jazzed up... But history has nothing to do with us." I said getting up and patting his shoulder and then taking a seat on top of Lucas' desk where the now awake boy wrapped his arms around me.

"I'm gonna snap this chalk now." Cory said in frustration.  
"Uh-oh." Riley said.  
"Snap." I said when the poor chalk was broken into two small pieces.  
"What did you guys do yesterday?" Cory asked us trying to prove a point.

"I think I had grapes." I answered.

"Do you know what yesterday was?" Cory asked another question.  
"Grapes day." Riley said tiridly.  
"It's history, just like this,"Cory said sending Lucas a death stare as he pulled me off of his desk and put me back into my seat and then continuing, "Every decision you make every day, every time you decide to turn left instead of right, you make history and you affect someone else's. And if you refuse to learn that, I guarantee you, you guys will not become the best person you can be. Because history is all about missed opportunities. History has nothing to do with us, wasn't it, Ms. Avery?"

"Can't remember, it was like five minutes ago." Maya said lifting her head from her desk.

"Fine. I am not gonna teach you guys about the '60s." Cory said sitting behind his desk.

"Yay." The glass cheered.  
"Theres a catch, theres always a catch," I said sighing.

"You are." Cory said and everyone groaned.

"Told you." I said flatly.

"Yay." Farkle said clapping.

"History is alive even if you weren't. But now you're gonna be. You will visit the 1960s and give a report. Travel time."

"How do we do that, Dad?" Riley asked.  
"We weren't there." I added.

"You were." He promised.

"How?" Maya asked.

You all have grandparents or great-grandparents. Choose one who was around during that time. Learn all you can about them and report back. Then we'll see if history has nothing to do with us. Living history... Now I'm all jazzed up."

~Nora, 1961~

"You're some new faces." A man came up to my best friend, Rosie, and I.

"So are you, but everything's new to me... the people, the places, the whole happening scene, man." Rosie responded to the man.

"First time you ever said that, isn't it?" The man asked us.

" She practiced the whole way here." I joined the conversation.

"Let me get a vibe. I dig you immedia-tois." The guy said sensing our vibe.

"What does that mean?" I asked taking a seat at one of the empty tables.

"I don't know. I made it up." The man shrugged pulling out a chair for Rosie.  
"Well, here's what I want you to make up for us: Two hot chocolates with extra whipped cream," I crossed my legs smiling politely.

"Because I'm dangerous." Rosie said smiling dorkily.

"You got a name, dangerous?"

"Rosie. Rosie McGee." She shook his hand.

"And hers?"

"Nora, Nora Evans" I answered, "and yous?"

"Ginsburg. Nice to meet you, Nora." He snapped a picture of Rosie and I.

"What's the picture for?" Rosie asked curiously.

"For the moment we first met. I'll get your hot chocolates, McGee and Evans." He said.

"I know this is weird, but have we met before?" I asked incrediously.  
"Haven't we all?" he responded before walking away. 

"Welcome, to Cafe Hey, pronounced, "hehhh."" Ginsberg said at the microphone.  
"Hehhh." Everyone in the cafe resonded.  
"You're getting better at that." he said before a guy with dark brown hair and matching brown eyes stepped onto stage, "This is Edwin Micheals, he is our first preformer of the night.

"Tonight's gonna be legendary, man. Let's just see what flows." His eyes connected with mine and he snapped and the bass tone began. "Black. White. Green. Tan. No one listen to the man. Freedom is the only plan. Free to be who you am. Can't you see? That you... are... me. Karma."

Everyone was snapping and I took a sip of my hot chocolate going back to my journal.

"Whatcha writing?" Edwin came over to the chair and sat next to me.

"Oh! Just... observations. You know, thoughts about the people she meets." Rosie explained while I continued writing.

"These are deep, man." Ginsberg said reading Rosie's journal. "You're one deep chick.

"Chick? Down here I'm a chick." She said excitedly pulling my arm.

I sighed at her when Edwin began to talk to me again. "Why'd you come here tonight, Nora?"

"We came to make some new friends." I said closing my journal.

"You see, there's two tables over there: The one the left, Bob and Joan; table on the right, a blonde girl all alone." Edwin said pointing between the two tables.  
"She's new around here, too. Go left or right. What to do?" Ginsberg added before both men walked away.

"You are really interesting looking. Are you as interesting as you look?" Rosie asked the girl when we got to the table and I sighed.

"Sure, are you as weird as you talk?" The girl asked raising an eyebrow and looking up.

"Oh my gosh. Yeah, man. I am the weirdest cat there is." Rosie said.  
"Oh yeah you gotta watch out for this one," I said sarcastically.

"Really? 'Cause you seem like a nice, normal girl to me." The girl said. I was starting to really like this girl, I sat next to her.

"You figured me out in five seconds and you've hurt me. How did she do that?" Rosie turned to me and asked me.  
"Don't know maybe you're just an open book." I shrugged.

"How can I make that up to you?" The blonde girl asked Rosie.  
"Could we be friends? I would be a very good friend to you." Rosie promised.

"Yeah, I could use a weird friend." the girl smiled at me and Rosie."  
"Then you should pick..." Rosie moved her fingers around and then borh pointed to her.

"Oh, they both landed on you." I said and the blonde girl laughed with me.

~Violet Present~  
"All right, status report.  
Cory said and Lucas and I got up and went to the front of the class with Riley following us.

"I got a guitar that belonged to my great-grandmother Rosie," RIley started

"and I got a very weird journa from my great-grandmother" I said showing the class the journal.

"My Dad is sending something about my great-grandfather. We don't talk about him much. His name was Merlin." Lucas explained.

"Merlin? Was he a wizard? Hah!" Farkle said trying to make fun of Lucas' grandfather's name.

"Okay, Farkle Minkus. What was your great-grandfather's name?" I asked defending Lucas.

"Ginsburg." He said as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"You make no sense to me whatsoever." Lucas said as there was a knock on the door. Lucas went to answer the door and a boy with dark brown hair and matching brown eyes walked in.  
"Can I help you?" Cory asked standing up from his desk.  
"Hi, I'm a new student, my name is Liam, Liam Michaels." He said.

"Hi I'm Violet," I said shaking his hand and sending him a smile.

"And I'm Lucas," Lucas said coming over and putting an arm around me.

"And I'm Mr. Matthews," Cory said wedging himself in between Lucas and I. We went back to our seats and Liam was given the seat behind Riley.

"Nice to meet you Violet," he winked at me.

"You too" I smiled and saw Lucas tense up.


	10. Girl Meets 1961 pt2

~Violet Present~

"Violet would you mind filling in Liam about the way this class works and introduce him to some new friends," Cory asked me.

"I guess," I shrugged, " Okay so basically Mr. Matthews teaches us based on what's happening in our lives. Particularly me, Riley, Maya, Lucas, and Farkle."

"Sounds good," Liam said.

"Yeah its just great," Lucas said rolling his eyes.

"Come out with us after school!" Riley told the new boy.

"Will you be there?" He asked me.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Yeah so will I." Lucas added.

At Topangas we were all sitting in a both. I was sitting by Lucas and across from Liam.

"Whatcha looking at?" I asked maya who had her nose stuck in a book.

" Art . Kossal gave it to me. It's got all the best artists and their best paintings. It's amazing And depressing" Maya said closing the book.

"She's trying to motivate you." I said grabbing the book.  
"Ain't working." She shrugged.  
"Look at these." I showed her some of the beautiful art.  
"I could never do anything near this. These people all have something to say" Maya said taking the book from me.  
"Well, you only know that because they went ahead and said it." I told her.  
"You know, someday you're gonna make somebody a wonderful fortune cookie." Lucas told me kissing my cheek.

"Are you guys together?" Liam asked us and everyone looked at us.

"Let me take a picture of everybody." Farkle said changing the subject quickly.  
"What for?" Riley asked as a phone camera clicked.

" I don't know. It's may be important to somebody someday." Farkle said examining the picture.  
"You guys are already important to me." Riley said.  
"How?" Maya asked.

"You teach me how to be friends." She answered smiling at us.

"Aww" I said ruffling her hair sitting as far away from Lucas as possible after the awkward question Liam had asked.

We got up ready to leave, "Maya, aren't you bringing that?" I asked.

"What, this book of "Why bother trying I'll never be as good as these guys"?"

"That's a very discouraging title." I said picking up the book.

"I love you, Violet, but I'm leaving this here. It makes me feel bad and It's really heavy." Maya said picking up the book and putting it back down on the table.

~Nora 1961~

"The girl with the long, blonde hair I wonder who that's about" May said looking at my journal.  
I sighed, "It's my first time here and I would like to remember everything."  
"Maybe I'll write about it later." Rosie said.  
"It's my first time here, too. I'm on my way to California. My bus broke down, bad luck." May shrugged.  
"I don't understand why these things happen." I said  
"Because if her bus didn't break down, then we don't become friends." Rosie explained "If I go sit at that table instead of this table, then I'm not friends with..." She stopped realizing we never learned this girls name.

"May Clutterbucket" the girl filled in.  
"Yow." I said leaning back into my seat.  
"What's in California for you, may? I'm going to say Clutterbucket now. But just so you know, when I say it I am not making fun of you." Rosie said way to fast.  
"Well, there's a place where people are making art and playing music." May explained.

"Sounds cool. Where is it?" I asked.

"It's a place called Topanga Canyon. I'm sure I'll love it." The girl said dreamily.  
"Topanga What a beautiful name for something that you want to love." I noted.  
"I'm gonna remember that." Rosie said writing it in her journal.  
"May, take the stage, may." Ginsberg said into the microphone.  
"You're up." I said.  
The applause started and May turned back before going to the stage, "What are your names, new friends?"

"Rosie McGee."

"Nora Evans".  
"Wish me luck, Rosie and Nora." She said before going onto the stage.  
"Wow, you're going to sing?" I said amazed by her bravery.

" I'm going to try."  
"Yay, go get 'em! And remember, you're beautiful, man." Rosie said still clapping.  
Folk music started to play and May began to sing "Car drove off airplane flew I stayed here missing you I grow old never see that you were there missing me are we now? What were we then? Will we look back and wonder when? What could have been what isn't yet will you remember or forget?"

"Wow! I'll remember, because that was great." Rosie exclaimed standing up and clapping.  
"Let's hear it for may clutterbucket." Ginsberg encouraged the applause.  
I heard someone scoff and turned around, "What are you laughing at, Bob Dylan?"

"Merlin. Merlin Scoggins," Edwin called the next person up to sing taking a moment to smile at me.  
"Take the stage, cowboy." Ginsberg added.  
"Who the heck is that?" Rosie asked loudly.

" So that's him. I've heard about him." I said as the figure took the stage.

"Hello. I'm Merlin Scoggins," he said as he turned around and immediately we looked eyes and I felt a deep connection with him.

~Violet present~

"Hello. I'm Lucas Friar." Lucas turned around in the front of the classroom immediately smiling at me before continuing, "My great-grandpa used to do that.  
He was a man named Merlin Scoggins.  
And this record was a big hit."  
"That's amazing, Lucas." I said standing next to him in the front of the class, "Why didn't you ever tell us any of that?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna tell Maya I have a country-singing great-grandpa and that I actually do come from cowboys." He rolled his eyes and I laughed, "Yeah, because I need more nicknames to go with Hopalong, Sundance and Ranger Rick."  
"No, I'm done with that." Maya said with a straight face.

"Doubtful" I said.  
" I am so impressed with his rich, Texas heritage that I am officially throwing out all of those old nicknames forever." Maya said.

"Wow, thank you, Maya." Lucas said.  
"No problem, Bucky McBoing Boing." Maya said.

"Yeah it only got worse" I patted his shoulder.  
"From what I can piece together, my great-grandmother Rosie McGee was a weird, little, wide-eyed goofball who only saw the best in everybody. Who just happened to be best friends with Nora Evans." Riley told the class.

"Nora Evans just happened to be my great-grandmother. And I've learned that she was smart, sassy, talented, and funny." I added.

"Who's like that?" I asked

"Nobody." Maya answered shaking her head laughing.  
"I'd like to play you my great-grandfather's song." Lucas said starting the record player.

The record scratched and country music began to play.

~1961 Nora~

"This seat taken?" Merlin asked when he walked over to our table.

"By you." I said smiling and I heard Edwin who was sitting across from me scoff.  
"See what she did?" Rosie said excidedly.

"Yeah, you're not a normal girl at all." May realized.  
" I liked your song, ma'am." Merlin told may.  
"And what do you do?" He asked Rosie.

" Ah, who knows?" Rosie said trying to sound cool. "She's an observer of humanity." I answered for her.

"Well, we need those."  
"The observers, the singer, the poet, and the mystery man." Ginsberg said snapping a picture of us"That's gotta be worth something to somebody someday."  
"Well, thank you all for your kind words and I'll be on my way." Merlin said standing up and I stood up too.  
"you have to go?" I asked disappointed.

"I try not to stay any place too long Especially when people do that." He said gesturing to Rosie who was batting her eyelashes oddly.  
"Stay here with this one too long and she might change us for the better." I laughed.  
He chuckled and moved a piece of hair from my face, "Yeah, anyway You keep writing down those observations."  
"And you, you keep playing." He told May.  
"What, my new song, "why bother trying, I'll never be as good as you guys"?" May said.

"That's a very discouraging title." I said looking down at her.  
"You have something to say." She told Merlin.  
"Well, now, you only know that, because he went ahead and said it." I told her as Merlin left.  
"Here." She handed me her guitar.  
"Why are you giving me this?" I asked confused.

" You were great." Rosie told her.  
"No, he's going to change the world. I'm not gonna change a thing." May said getting up from the table.  
"Where are you going?" Rosie asked her.

" Don't you worry, weirdo." May smiled at us "I'll be right back."

~Violet present~

"My great-grandmother never saw her friend again.  
The world has never heard of May Clutterbucket," I said sitting on Corys desk.  
"My great-grandfather had one huge hit. People thought he was gonna change the world, but he didn't.  
After an appearance in a small cafe in New York City, he made some bad choices. He went to jail for a little while. He went left instead of right." Lucas said standing farther away from me than normal.  
"And why do you think that was, Mr.  
Friar?" Cory asked.

"Don't know. Maybe he needed some better friends." Lucas answered looking at me. Wow so that's what we were, I guess we're friends.

"Nora liked observing things. I'm going to read something from her journal. It's called "the girl with the long, blonde hair." "She said she would be gone for a moment, I am still waiting. We could have been friends, maybe in some other life. The girl with the long, blonde hair." I started reading from the journal.

" It sounds like Nora was a pretty good writer." Cory commented.  
"There's a little bit more. "If you quiet your voice, if you stop, because you think other people are better, then you are not who I know you are, the girl with the long, blonde hair."

" You wrote that." Maya accused.  
"No Icontinued it.," I stated, " I am a continuation. That's what history's about, right, Cory?"

He chuckled, "Oh, now I get it."

"Rosie had a daughter, and her daughter had my mom.  
Rosie gave me my mom and she gave my dad his wife." Riley said joining in the presentation.  
"This has been in my family for over 50 years." I said handing the guitar to Maya. "But I feel like it belongs with you. So I hope that whenever you see it, it will remind you that even though Nora's friend gave up, you never should."

Maya faced Lucas and began to strum the guitar.

"Oh, no." Lucas said and I started laughing, "this is your fault!"

I laughed and he wrapped his arms around me as Maya began to sing.  
"Hello.  
I'm Bucky McBoing Boing.  
I got a great-grandson who's a ranger Rick and a Hopalong and a Sundance, too Everybody! All: I got a great-grandson who's a ranger Rick and a Hopalong and a Sundance, too."

The next day in class I was sitting on Lucas' desk talking to him and Liam when Farkle came running into the classroom. He ran straight to the front and flipped the nameplate to the Farkle side.

"Is he allowed to do that" Liam asked.

"Yeah it happens a lot," I said sliding into my own desk.

"Yeah, okay." Cory said sitting in Farkles desk.  
"We are all part of a puzzle called history. We are each a tiny piece of that puzzle that comes together and makes a picture. Well, you're not gonna believe the picture I just found. My great-grandfather Ginsburg worked at a Greenwich village cafe." Farkle started talking.

"Hey my great grandfather worked at a place similar to that," Liam said.

"Was his name Edwin?" Farkle asked.

Liam just nodded.

"Thought so, Violet,Lucas, what year did your great-grandparents visit New York?" Farkle asked us.

"1961." We answered at the same time.

"Whoa." Riley said.  
" I knew it. What month?"

"December." We both said again.

"Say it again." Farkle told Riley.  
"Whoa." She said again.  
"And what was the name of the club?"

"Cafe - Hey." Riley answered.  
"That's where my great-grandfather worked." Liam added.  
"Maya, what did you learn about your great-grandmother?" Farkle stood in front of her desk. "Nothing, my mom said to leave it alone." Maya shrugged.  
"I know you, Maya. You're not a puzzle to me at all.  
You went behind her back and snooped around, didn't you?" Farkle pressed.

" No." Maya answered.

"What did you find? Tell me her it or I will." Farkle threatened.  
"May Clutterbucket." She said and Lucas let out a loud laugh smiling brightly.  
"What?" He asked.

"I come from a long line of Clutterbuckets" she said annoyed.  
"Oh, this is the greatest day of my life!" Lucas said.

" All of our relatives met each other on the same night." Farkle told us.  
"Your great-grandmothers were my great-grandmother's friends." Riley said.  
"No. They never became friends. She walked out." Maya reminded Riley.

"And you didn't tell me?" I asked her.

" Tell you what? That I come from people who give up. That I am a Clutterbucket?" Maya said exasperated. "Change history" I said.  
"Excuse me?" She asked.

" They would have been better off being friends. That was a missed opportunity. Don't let your history be one of missed opportunities. Learn from the past." I said hugging her.  
" I don't want to be a Clutterbucket." She admitted.  
"You're not." Riley said joining our hug.  
"You're all Hart." I said before Farkle started talking again.  
"On December 14th, 1961, four pieces of a puzzle came together" Farkle put up the picture from 1961 and the one from the other day at the bakery.

" How great is history class now, everybody?" Cory laughed.

"Shh!" We all said.

" Great-grandfather Ginsburg was hard to research, because he was never in any of the pictures, because he took and gentlemen, I have achieved time you. Iam Farkle!" Farkle yelled.

The next day in class Lucas, Riley, Liam, Farkle, Maya, and I got to class early.

"Where are we going today, Cory?" I asked when he walked into the class.

"I thought you guys didn't care about any of that stuff" he asked confused.

"No, that was yesterday." Riley said.  
"Yesterday is history." I said getting my notebook out ready to take notes.  
"What do you have for us today, Mr.  
Matthews?" Maya asked.

"The year was 1963. "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.  
I have a dream today.  
" Martin Luther King, Jr.  
A lot of things happened in 1963.  
The '60s, man."


	11. Girl Meets Crazy Hat

Thunder rumbled as Maya, Riley, and I walked into the subway station.

"There she is again," Riley said referring to crazy hat.  
"Crazy hat's always here." I said taking off of my trash bag poncho.  
"What do you think her deal is? Former movie star? Olympic figure skater?" I asked as we walked closer. "Bum on a bench," Maya suggested.  
"But look at how she looks at everyone." I said observing the older women.  
"What goes on in a head like hers?" Riley asked.

"I guess we'll never know." Maya shrugged. "Hey, crazy hat! What goes on in your head?"

"And a new adventure begins." I said shaking my head at Maya.  
"You, you, and you, c'mere! I'll teach you about life." Crazy hat pointed at us.

Maya and I sat on either side of her.  
"Can't." Riley tried to pull me off of the bench, "Stranger."  
"You want her to sit on the bench, She's gonna need three forms of identification." I said pulling my arm away from Riley's grasp.  
"Trust me." A cop came over to us, talking to Riley, "I know who she is. She's all right."

Riley nodded sitting next to me, "Okay, copper."  
"Hey! That's officer copper to you." The cop said tipping his hat at crazy hat, "Mornin', Evelyn. Never gonna stop rainin', is it?"

"That's okay, Eugene." Crazy hat smiled at the man, "These three little dollies are about to give me one of their designer ponchos."  
I pulled one out of Riley's bag and handed it to Evelyn, "They're garbage bags, Eugene." I explained, "But you have to put a hole for your head."  
"Ah, so you can breathe." He nodded understanding.  
"So the garbage man doesn't throw you out." Riley said.  
"Yep, that happened." I remembered.  
"I was yelling, but he didn't care." I patted her back comfortingly.

"We rescued her from the truck." Maya said.  
"We chased her all the way to 33rd street" I concluded our story.  
"Wow, now that is a friend. Me? I don't Chase nobody for nothin'." The cop admitted.  
"What if I stole a banana?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"I'd be very disappointed in you." He said shaking his head at me.

"Okay." I looked down at my shoes.

"I have observed you three are good friends." Crazy hat said once the cop left.

"Don't miss a thing, do you, crazy hat?" I said sarcastically.

"No, I don't." She promised, "Now you're about to be late for school, and I'm about to be late for addressing the United Nations."

"The United Nations?" I asked.  
"Have a good day, dollies. Be good people, learn all you can." She said putting on the poncho and walking away.  
"How does that happen to someone, Violet? Do you think that could ever happen to us?" Riley asked m.

"Well, at least nothing worse than that could ever happen." I said to Riley pointing to the passing trash man.

The garbage man picked up Riley and threw her into his cart and Maya and I just watched.  
"Maya! - Violet?" Riley screamed for help.

"Okay," Maya said following the cart as I grabbed Riley's bag.

"Belgium, 1831" Cory started teaching the class.

"No!" I said.

"In 1831, Belgium" Cory started again.

"No!" I repeated since clearly he didn't hear me the first time.

"Violet?" He asked looking at me.

"What's my thing?" I asked.

"What's your thing?" Cory asked confused.

"What is she going to be, Cory?" Riley asked trying to help Cory understand where I'm going with this.

"Am I gonna be okay?" I asked to him having a small mental breakdown about the future.

"Violet, listen to me very carefully." Cory said and I stayed quiet, "In 1831, Belgium declared its independence from the Netherlands."

"What will people be thinking of me if I end up living in a subway?" I asked still on the subject.

"Violet are you okay?" Liam asked putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey I was gonna ask her that," Lucas pushed Liam's hand off of my shoulder. "Are you okay, Violet?"

"It doesn't count when you don't do it first, buddy" Liam shrugged and leaned back in his seat smugly.

"What if nothing happens for her, sir?" Maya started, "Vi can't end up like that. She's my meal ticket!"

"What the? I just saw you girls at breakfast!" Cory said to us confused on how we got so messed up.

Farkle said something in another language.

"Calm down, Farkle. You're speaking in Dutch again." Riley said.

Farkle slapped himself across the face and began speaking Spanish.  
"No no no," Cory said, "You slapped yourself way too hard. You went all the way to Spanish."  
"My education should not be based on your goddaughter's moods." Farkle scolded Cory.  
"Neither should mine, but it is! Guys, a daughter asks her father, "What's my thing?" This question will resonate in the hearts of all parents from the moment it's asked until the day their child feels comfortable in the world. Pretty soon you're all going to join the work force. What's your thing? What do you aspire to? How will you affect people? That's the only history that matters." Cory said beginning an entirely new lesson.  
"Thank you, daddy." Riley said.

"Thanks Cory," I said.  
"All right, guys tell you what" Cory clapped his hands, "Let's split the class into two separate businesses and see how you do for yourselves. We'll see if anyone's got anything to worry about, okay?"

"Excellent." Farkle said in a scary voice, "What will our companies be?"

"Doesn't matter." Cory said looking around the class, "Uh Muffins, okay? You three are going to be "Violet, Farkle, and Liam's muffins. That'll be your thing for the week."

"Me and Riley already got our thing." Maya said, "Violet's gonna be a success and we will sponge off her until she gets sick of us."  
"I will never get sick of you." I told her with a smile.  
"I am set for life!" Riley exclaimed.

"All right, let's get out there and make some money cash, cabbage, cheddah-cheeeze!" Farkle snapped at me.

"Those are your values, Farkle?" Cory asked.

"What else should a company value but profits?" Farkle snorted.

"If I had a company, I'd treat my employees well and make sure we did right by our customers." Lucas said in a sweet voice.

"You are everything that's wrong with this country." Liam said.

"Awe don't be mean to him he's too sweet for his own good," I said smiling at Lucas.  
"Then you do have a company, Lucas." Cory decided "Hart, Matthews, and Friar muffins."  
"So these two competing companies will hire the rest of you guys as employees. Everyone else in school will be your customers. Let's see what happens." Cory said leaving us to begin with our companies.  
"Here's what happens, we crush you." Maya said to Farkle.  
"We will be bajillionaires, and you will eat your words using plastic cutlery" Farkle retorted.

"You're cute when you're menacing." Maya winked at Farkle.  
"I don't know what to do now." Farkle turned to me for help.

"I know." I patted his head.  
"Good luck Vi," Lucas said to me as the bell rang.

"Thanks you too," I blushed as he grabbed my hand.

We started walking out of the classroom together when Liam came up to us and put his arm around my shoulders.

"Let's go work on the project Vi," Liam said looking at Lucas.

"Seriously?" Lucas said annoyed.

"Right now?" I asked.

"Yeah come on," Liam said starting to pull me away.

"I'll see you later Lucas," I said walking side by side with Liam.

"All right, progress reports," Cory said when class begun a few days later, "What's up in make-believe corporate America?"

"Hart and Friar muffins report: We started with 100 muffins, made each with all-natural and organic ingredients." Lucas started.  
"And you selected these ingredients because?" Cory prompted.

"Because that's the right and responsible thing to do." Maya answered and everyone was surprised.  
"You really believe that?" I asked her.

"I dunno! You spend a day with this guy." Maya said pointing accusingly at Lucas.  
"So far we've sold 14 muffins at a dollar each." Riley said.

"Violet bought 7 of them because she felt bad," Maya said.

"But hey you still sold them," I said.

"You bought from the enemy?" Farkle asked angrily.

"How could you?" Liam asked.  
"Okay, how much do they cost you?" Cory asked.

"They didn't cost us anything to make." Maya admitted.  
"How's that possible?" I asked.

"My mother bought them for us. She wanted us to sell healthy food." Lucas said.  
"How's that workin' out for us so far, huckleberry?" Maya asked him annoyed their business sucked.

"As soon as we sell them all, I'll pay her back.  
I stand by our product, sir." Lucas said to Cory.

"So do me." Riley said high fiving my future husband.  
"Me too. They're everywhere." Maya added.  
"How are your profits, Friar?" Liam asked smugly.

"Let me teach my class, Liam, okay? I decide what to say and when I'm gonna say it, and I decide who to call on and what I'm gonna ask them!" Cory ranted.

"How were my profits, Friar?" Lucas asked.

"Yes!" Cory said exasperated.

"Well, I have that right here, sir. None."

"I'm sorry, what?" Farkle asked lifting his hand to his ear.

"None. And it's not right, sir. Our muffins are good for you." Lucas said sadly.

"I'm sorry, what?" Liam asked this time.

"None! We can't even give them away." Riley said throwing one at the class only to have it come back and hit her in the head.

"All right, let's talk about a real make-believe company. Liam and Farkle's muffins!" Farkle said dragging me to the front of the room.

Violet, Liam, and Farkle's muffins." I corrected.

"Yeah, keep tellin' yourself that." Farkle said and I went over and stood by Lucas since clearly I wasn't appreciated.  
"Unlike our competitors, our profits are through the roof, and so are our employees." Liam said proudly.  
"Why are they like that?" Cory asked concerned, looking at the jittery kids.

"They ate the product, sir." Farkle said.  
"Violet?" Cory turned to me.

"Everybody seems to like our muffins, Cory," I shrugged not really caring about this project.  
"Oh, my sweet innocent child." Cory said, "Can't you see why?"

"Because they're filled with love." I said shrugging.

"I don't think that's what they're filled with, Violet," Cory said.  
"Yeah. Why do they come out so white, guys?" I asked Liam and Farkle.

"Because they're 100% carbon, hydrogen and oxygen." Farkle said placing a muffin on Cory's desk.  
"Uh, explain that to the non-scientists," Cory requested.  
"Sugar! They're all sugar! Just one big sugar cube!" Liam yelled.

"What? Ours are oatmeal, honey and locally-harvested berries." Lucas said annoyed.  
"You said all-natural." I accused the boys.

"Sugar!" Farkle exclaimed.

"You said organic." I said annoyed.  
"Sugar!" Liam said.

"You said delicious."

"Sugar," the whole class yelled at me.

"Farkle, Liam we're a business. Businesses do not just mislead their customers to make a little bit of money!" I scolded then.

"Ha-aaaa! We're done for, guys. These muffins are pure evil." I said angry.  
"Are you gonna eat that because if you're not gonna eat that I would eat that right now is what I would do is I would eat that right now is what I would do." One of the kids who were hyped up on sugar asked me.  
"You know how you succeed, Violet?" Farkle asked me.

"You give the people what they want." Liam answered.

"That's why we're a success and they're not." Liam took one of Maya's muffins and threw it at the class and it came back again, this time hitting Maya in the head.  
"This isn't fair, Mr. Matthews!" Lucas said.

"Boohoo," Liam said.

"I had to listen to Lucas and his mother talk about "Good eatin'" and "wholesome livin'" and "the natural cornucopia of the earth's bounty" Maya told Cory in a bad fake Texas accent.

"Have you ever even heard him talk?" I asked.

"Huh-hur-rrrr!" Maya said.

"Wow." Lucas said. "While these three just poured sugar into a muffin cup."  
"It isn't fair!" Maya exclaimed getting upset.

"What isn't fair?" Cory asked.

"That I'm not on their team!" She said as if it were obvious.

"Maya, what we did isn't okay." I said, "But I didn't know and I'm not going down for this. I'll talk."

"To who? To everyone who loves our muffins? Enjoy the taste of success, Violet." Liam said putting his hand around my shoulders and pulling me into him. I saw Lucas clench his jaw.  
"It's sweet." Farkle said coming and standing on my other side.  
"Not to me. I have a very bitter taste in my mouth." I said pushing them both away from me.  
"You must've eaten one of ours." Riley said frowning.  
"Guys, you played fair." I walked over to them, "We didn't. We have no integrity. You do."  
"And what does that get them? We can buy and sell their business." Farkle pointed out.  
"In fact, I like the sound of that." Liam said.  
"Yeah! I propose a merger between Riley and Farkle's muffins and Hart and Friar Muffins." Farkle yelled.  
"Why the merger, Farkle?" Cory asked.

"We both have what we each need, Mr. Matthews.," Liam explained, "We have profits. They have integrity."

"I'm buyin' it!" Farkle pulled out a wad of cash.  
"My integrity is not for sale." Lucas said.  
"Mine is." Maya grabbed the money.  
"Maya!" Lucas said.

"We owe your mother a hundred bucks." Riley pointed out.  
"Put 'er there, partner!" Lucas said shaking Liam's hand.

"Our new company will be called "Farkle and Liam" Farkle said. Your names are no longer part of the company."

"Why not?" Riley asked.  
"What's the first thing that happens after a merger, daddy?" I said telling her that that was the question she needed to ask.

"What's the first thing that happens after a merger, daddy?" Riley turned to her father.  
"Downsizing. When two companies come together, employees become vulnerable." Cory explained/.  
"Don't tell him!" Riley exclaimed.

"Uh, Riley, I think he already knows." I told her.  
"Lucas, fire half of the company." Farkle commanded.  
"Start with Violet," Liam told him pushing him in front of me.  
Lucas moved some hair from my face, "Why do I have to do that?" he asked annoyed.

"Because you're all full of that Texas "gee willikers" hooey." Farkle told him.

"So you'll be the face of the company and we will be the behind-the-scenes hermit genius." Liam said.  
"Mr. Matthews? Do I have to?" Lucas asked our eyes still connected.

"How do you argue with that?" Cory asked.

"Always liked you, Matthews. You got moxie." Liam said standing by Lucas and I.  
"Violet?" Lucas said his hand resting on my cheek.

"Yeah?" I said not thinking he was going to actually fire me.  
"You're fired." He said and I took his hand off of my face.

"Wow man I can't believe you actually fired her," Liam laughed.

"You told me too!" Lucas said, "I'm so sorry Vi."  
"Fine." I said walking out of the classroom.

"Hey, if she goes, I go." Maya said following me out with Riley following her.

"Friendship and loyalty are for the weak," I heard Farkle yell.

"I gave my whole life to that company." Riley said sitting on the subway with a cardboard box filled with stuff.

"I can't even keep a fake job. Oh no, all of my fears are realized." I said upset that Lucas fired me. To be honest I was more upset that Lucas was the one who did it, than I was that I got fired.  
"Don't go crazy." Maya told me.  
"Ah, the box of shame. What happened?" Crazy hat asked sitting next to me.

"Class project."

"Fake business." I explained sighing, "I got fired by my boyf- by my friend."

Riley looked at my sympathetically catching my mistake.  
"Not so terrible." Evelyn said trying to make me feel better, "I've been fired myself once or twice."

"Yeah, but not from fake businesses." I said chuckling at how ridiculous I sound.  
"I think you could call 'em that. Now I come down here and watch people coming and going, giving their lives to fake businesses." Evelyn looked at her watch, "Welp, gotta go! Big meeting! With squirrels."  
"Thanks." I said as she walked away.  
"It's just us." Maya said.  
"It's just us on the bench." I repeated  
"No jobs, no future, no dollar, because I gave it to her." Riley added and we all just sat on the bench until the end of the day. Well, look whose still "Well look who's still here." crazy hat said coming over to us, "My dollies. Been looking at the people, huh?"

"Hey, hat, you're a sight for sore eyes." I said smiling politely.

"How'd your meeting go?" Riley asked.

"Oh, the usual. Yelled at everybody. Y'know, rahr rahr rah! Rahr rahr rah! Had 'em all running around scared of me." Evelyn said laughing.

"Sounds like fun." I commented.  
"It's more fun when I come down here from my big, tall building." she said.  
"Oh, your building?" Maya asked.

"It was named after me." She explained, "The crazy hat building? I sit here lookin' at all the people because it turns out; other people are the key to your own happiness. I watch 'em enough and I start thinkin' about what I can do for them."  
"What you can do for them?" I clarified.

"Mm-hmm." Crazy hat nodded, "Now you've been lookin' at all these people, now what do you see?"

"I see a bunch of wet people who could probably use some real umbrellas." I said looking at all of the wet people.  
"Yeah, not the no-good kind some Farkle sells on the street just to make some "cash, cabbage, cheddah-cheese." Riley assessed.

"You saw all that just by lookin' a little." Evelyn stopped, "What's a Farkle?"

"Now what are you gonna tell your class about it?" she asked me.

"Nothing. Not going back. Tired of being humiliated." I said deciding to stay in the subway station.

"Tough." she said.  
"You know what? We're gonna go back." Maya said getting up.  
"Crazy hat goes into buildings and screams at people and you're not humiliated, right?" Riley asked Evelyn.  
"Here's what's real: People are wet and cold out there." I said starting to go along with Maya and Riley.

The next day in class the three of us were standing in front of the class presenting our idea, "People need something to keep them safe from the storm, and we know how to give it to them. What if every single subway stop in New York City was stocked with donated umbrellas? The Matthews, Hart, and Avery umbrella foundation." I smiled proud of our idea, "It's non-profit" I added.  
"What?!" Farkle exclaimed.

"When you come into the subway station you leave an umbrella in the stand and when you leave the next station, there'll be one waiting for you.

The Matthews, Hart, and Avery umbrella foundation." Maya added.  
"We got you covered." Riley finished.  
"There's no money in umbrellas." Liam said.  
"No, only people." I narrowed my eyes at him.  
"My company makes a profit." Liam said.  
"Yeah, but at what cost? Look at your customers." I said looking at all of the sick looking kids.  
"How could something that tastes so good make me feel so bad?" one of the girls asked.  
"What goes up must come down, Farkle." Riley pointed out.  
"At least I was up." Farkle scoffed, "What do you have besides an idea?"

"They've got an investor!" Crazy hat walked into our class.

"Oh no." I whispered.  
"She followed us." Maya said.  
"Evelyn rand." Cory said amazed.  
"You know crazy hat?" I asked confused.  
"I know she's the chairman of the board of rand industries." Cory said shaking her hand. "You guys walk by her building on the way to school."  
"She really has a building?" Riley asked in disbelief.  
"With her name on it." I confirmed.  
Crazy hat chuckled, "You'll usually find me on the top floor of my building going, "rahr rahr rah!" You two dollies want to know how I got my name on the building? By knowing a good idea when I hear one. So I've made out a check to the three dollies."  
"You can do that?" I asked.

"I can do whatever I want. Now what I want you to do is go get some umbrellas, go get 'em in some subway stations. You start. The people will do the rest. I believe in them. I've watched them."

"And, you three, don't worry so much about your future."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes. You three dollies, you're going to be just fine." she turned to Cory, "You really think that you can make a difference in these kids' lives?"

"Yeah, I do. I'm their teacher." he nodded solemnly  
"Good for you" Evelyn said nodding.

"Violet, if it's at all possible, I'd like to help out with your company." Lucas said coming up to me.  
"Aww. You're as sweet as sugar." Evelyn said.

"Ms. Avery says you're fired." Riley told Lucas.

"Huh-hur-rrrr!" Maya said getting in Lucas.

"Yeah, I had that coming." Lucas said.

"Yeah you did," Liam said getting up and putting his arm around me.

"Dude what is your problem?" Lucas asked finally fed up with Liam.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Liam shrugged.

"You are all over Violet all the time. I would do anything for her, I want to spend all my time with her and you have known her for like a week." Lucas said angrily.

"It's not like she's your girlfriend man," Liam pointed out.

"Well I want her to be," Lucas said looking to me, "I want you to be my girlfriend, Violet."

"Um, I'm standing right here," Cory said, but we ignored him.

"Violet will you be my girlfriend?" he asked me.

I didn't say anything I just went on my tip toes and grabbed his face and kissed him.

"Is that a yes?" He said smiling.

I kissed him again.

"It's a yes," he decided pulling me into a hug.


End file.
